A Families Gift
by Archangel630
Summary: A slight modification of events, change the outcome of the Naruto universe, a universe where Naruto is taken out of his village and knows of his burden; pairing undecided; NO HAREM
1. Chapter 1

AN: A new story that I am trying out, if you like it read it, if you don't, don't read it

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Leaders are the pinnacle of society, they must lead their people to furthering prosperity while defending them from outside enemies; however violence is an endless cycle and will not have an end anytime soon. Leaders are responsible to think of acceptable ways to hinder the furthering of violence, the leaders do their best to stagnate the violence as much as they can. Leaders sometimes enforce stricter conduct codes, harsher skills and strength development, and penalties to restrict his/hers peoples' involvement in causing violence. In the end, this is all dependent on the people.

To protect your people from harm, sometimes you have to protect them from themselves, many leaders enforce their rules onto their populace to protect them, but in time many leaders lose their initial idea of why.

Great leaders are the leaders able to remember their own morals and codes, and keep the peace.

The great Five Elemental Nations, governmental superpowers that have incredible military might. The five great Nations are Hi no Kuni, Mizu no Kuni, Tsuchi no Kuni, Kaminari no Kuni, and Kaze no Kuni. These Nations have great leaders called Kages (Shadow), these Kages are given their rank because of personal strength and mental fortitude. These leaders are the foremost experts on what is needed for their homes. Depending on the time that has past since their village's inception, there have been multiple leaders for the villages of the nations; for Hi no Kuni, they have had four. They are The Shodaime Hokage, Nidaime Hokage, Sandaime Hokage and the Yondaime Hokage, these leaders show the capability to lead their villages and protect them. However within the village the Yondaime is considered to be the strongest, this is because of his strength, his skills and his involvement in the Third Shinobi World War. It was after this war that the Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato, was called into office, it was during this time that Minato wished to change his village for the better; the village had been involved with all three of the wars, majority it was his village against another and their allies. Minato wished to stop this, many wars were started because of either of a group or certain individual's involvement; Minato knew that it was impossible to control the actions of his shinobi's but he could enforce a harsher code of conduct and penalties, to dissuade a negative outcome. This would be ideal, however Minato had suspected for some time that certain individuals within his village, had their own personal agenda, an agenda that did not reflect well for Konohagakure, Konoha for short.

It was because of this suspicion that Minato began investigating suspicious activities, civil reports, and personal complaints. It was this suspicion that Minato had discovered that one of their beloved Densetsu no Sannin, was responsible for the abduction and mutilation of multiple bodies found on missions outside of Konoha. Orochimaru; was considered a prodigy in their village, for his supreme development and usage of the shinobi arts.

Minato was surprised to learn of this fact and sent his former leader, the Sandaime Hokage, and sensei of Orochimaru, Sarutobi Hiruzen to capture and if forced, eliminate Orochimaru. The mission however, was not met with success, because of Hiruzen inability to harm his student, lead to Orochimaru's escape. Concerned with the prospect that a "prodigy's" actions had not been discovered until a year later, Minato investigated further, Minato knew that it was impossible for someone not to have discovered Orochimaru's atrocities, it was because of this, that led Minato to believe that someone had did, in fact discover it and then hid it. Minato had learned in his investigations that Orochimaru had actually begun his "experiments" even well before the year period thought before. Minato had gleaned through the dissection of Orochimaru's notes and findings, that it was somewhere close to 5 years prior.

Minato now proof that someone had covered up Orochimaru's experiments, for five years, a village full of highly trained shinobi's did not discover this, this only meant that someone even more highly trained and power was involved.

That lowered the suspects significantly, the person or person's involved had to be older then Orochimaru, and have served longer then him; this narrowed it down to those that had served before or during the first shinobi world war. The suspects Minato thought of were many clan elders of highly reputable clans, the Uchiha and Hyuga clans for example, the former Hokage advisors and teammates, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, Shimura Danzō, Maruboshi Kosuke, and sadly enough Hiruzen Sarutobi, the former Hokage. Minato spent days and nights either finding evidence of these people's involvement or evidence of their freedom; at the end of his investigation 2 years later, that Minato had absolved everyone but one. Minato had found that Shimura Danzō had multiple financial accounts throughout Hi no Kuni, and even some of their neighboring nations, that had funded many of Orochimaru's experiments. The discovery of this, led Minato to discover large amount of purchases of munitions and survival gear.

The purchases were carefully plan, but even the most careful plans have patterns, Minato discovered that small amounts of funds were withdrawn from the accounts and three days later the purchases of the munitions were cataloged, the quantities would be different but soon Minato found that the purchases of the following month would be the same, even if they were placed at different vendors. Minato knew that if for any reason it looked as though he suspected anything, the trail would go cold. So to hide his discovery of these purchases, Minato placed an order for his special kunais to be made and one of the vendors and through luck Minato had placed the order the day that an order was being picked up. To learn the location of Danzo's scheme, Minato placed a tracer seal on the order without the persons' knowledge and waited. The purchases went underground, and soon the tracers he placed were dispersed everywhere, however this came to worry Minato when a kunai that he placed a seal on was used in an assassination of a high profile smuggler, which was choking Konoha's trade. Minato kept an eye out for any more of the kunais, and when it did catch his eye, he found that many of the people that were killed with the kunais were enemies of Konoha and enemies of other nations too.

In Minato's entire career this would be the only time he hesitated, the question was, should he really stop Danzō from doing what Minato wanted to do? Even though Danzō was protecting Konoha, what Danzō was doing was superseding his decisions, the decisions of the Hokage, and had made his own militia. This was a sign of treason, and when Minato went to rein the man in, he would have the man by the throat.

This was not the only side of Minato though, he was a loving, caring man, and he only loved one woman, and that woman was Uzumaki Kushina.

Kushina was a refugee from the defunct Uzushiogakure, an island village that was destroyed during the second shinobi world war; the Uzumaki's and many of the citizens of the village were feared for their mastery of Fūin, a very obscure art, which resulted in incredible power, and it was because of this fear that the village was destroyed, however it was not the sole reason, it was also because the villages, Konoha and Uzushio, were sister villages, and their destruction was a carefully plan strategy to cripple Konoha, by destroying a powerful ally.

Kushina had come to the village because of her village's connection but also because of a secret that no one was allowed to know. Uzumaki Mito, the wife of the Shodaime Hokage, Senju Hashirama, was the first Jinchūriki (Power of Human Sacrifice) of the bijū, Kyūbi no Kitsune; Uzumaki Mito had sealed the Kyūbi within herself after her husband had defeated both the Kyūbi and Uchiha Madara. The reason why Kushina was brought to Konoha was to become the second Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi no Kitsune, it seemed that Mito was not going to live much longer and wished for the tradition of an Uzumaki to be the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi to begin, this was because the Uzumaki had a bloodline that gave them longevity, as well as giving them chakra almost as potent as a bijū, this made the Uzumaki's an ideal containers for the bijūs.

Minato and Kushina had met when they were kids during their academy years, Kushina considered Minato a rival for the Konoha title, however it is not known how Minato felt, the two were not very friendly with each other, however it wasn't until the day that Kushina was kidnapped by Kumogakure that a relationship blossomed.

It had been discovered by Kumogakure that Kushina was in possession of very strong second bloodline, and Kumo sent an abduction team to extract Kushina from Konoha, a rescue attempt was not considered and some of the shinobi felt that Kushina was not important enough to risk a war, not knowing just how important she really was. Minato left the village, tracking Kushina and her abductors. Minato had indeed found the abductors and killed them, and saved Kushina, it was on that day that Kushina decided that she would no longer become the Hokage, but the Hokage's wife.

It is not known however if Minato and Kushina were ever wed, however their love did result in Kushina becoming pregnant with their first child. Their happiness was not to last long. On the night of Kushina to give birth to their son, a man had appeared and killed those helping with the birth and keeping Kushina capable of holding back the Kyūbi, the need was based on that the seal used to hold back the Kyūbi would weaken, during her pregnancy, enough for the Kyūbi to be free; the man captured Kushina and whisked her away, not before almost killing the newborn child. Minato had saved his son and went to save his love. The man and Minato battled for some time until Minato was able to get the upper hand and had severed the man's control on the Kyūbi, which the man had released from Kushina's seal. The man disappeared and Minato and Kushina were left to handle a rampaging Kyūbi.

Both Kushina and Minato had succeeded in recapturing the Kyūbi, however as sentient as it was, it tried to attack the newborn that Kushina and Minato were using to become the third Jinchūriki, the Kyūbi however was not able to succeed because both Kushina and Minato threw the bodies in the way of the attack, and were impaled by the Kyūbi's attack. Both Kushina and Minato sacrificed their lives for that of their son, Naruto. It has been thought, by those that knew the two the best that they must have left something of significance within Naruto, which would appear in time.

It was the death of their leader, which lead to the former Hokage to return to power, however during the resealing of the Kyubi, many people had witness it. Normally the status of the Jinchūriki was a high level village secret that only a few people were allowed to know, but because of the display, many people were aware that the boy, Naruto, was involved with the Kyūbi somehow. This lead to speculation that the boy himself, was the Kyūbi given human form; this speculation was based on people ignorant understanding of fūin. Others knew enough about fūin to know that the boy was just the vessel, or container, but that did not stop the hatred that they felt towards the demon trapped in the boy, they instead began to hate the boy. The Hokage, knowing the truth of the boy, and his heritage, could not risk the boy's safety, it wasn't until the Hokage did what Minato wanted to do and rein Danzō in; did he realize the need of the boy's protection. It was there that the Hiruzen decided that this boy, a boy that had the Kyūbi sealed within, had to leave the village, for the village's protection, but more importantly, the boys. Hiruzen decided that the boy needed a strong guard, one that had the same ideals as the Hokage's of before, it was this idea that Hiruzen chose Maruboshi Kosuke, as the boys caretaker.

The reason that Kosuke was chosen, was because the man had served during the time of the Nidaime and himself, and had proven himself incredibly strong, but had the same thoughts that the Nidaime had for his village. Despite the man's personal demons, he was the right choice. Naruto was taken from the village and would return on the festival of Hi, eight years later.

During this time, Naruto had grown into a mature boy, this being that Naruto had been told of his burden. There was more to his maturity growth regarding his status, Kosuke had informed Naruto, that normally the disclosure of a Jinchūriki status was not permitted in Konoha, however circumstances had forced the information in the open, and for the Hokage to protect the boy and the village, the Hokage had to confirm Naruto's status; but it was the fear of Naruto's safety, that Naruto was taken away from Konoha to give the villager's time to grieve and come to terms. Kosuke however informed Naruto that he shouldn't expect people of the village to just accept him; it was possible that when he returns, they would either hate him, or ignore him. Naruto grew mature because of this. Naruto was brought up with knowledge, pride and honor; Kosuke trained Naruto in the ways of the shinobi, giving Naruto the knowledge he would need to become a genin, Kosuke taught Naruto about pride, about his clan and who they were to the village of Konoha and that of his mother. Kosuke however would not inform Naruto of who his father was, and finally honor, Kosuke taught Naruto that regardless of what the villagers felt, time healed all wounds, and exposure to Naruto would lead to them to accept him, the other was that if he wanted the villagers to accept him he had to show them that he would protect them regardless of their relationship, and finally the last was to honor 'thy own words' a person words held power, and one always should always keep their word, and also when one should give their word.

This was what Naruto lived with for eight years, and when it came time for Naruto to arrive in Konoha, Kosuke showed him the edicts that a shinobi should follow. The two traveled to other nations and villages so Naruto could learn this. Naruto arrived to the village on the eve of the Festival; it was during the festival that the Hokage disclosed that Naruto was the heir to the Uzumaki clan. This disclosure was part of the Hokage's plan to protect Naruto. By announcing that Naruto was the Uzumaki heir, it confirmed that somehow Naruto was related to Uzumaki Mito, the wife of their founder, and that Naruto was the son of Uzumaki Kushina, to those that knew the truth understood the message. Naruto is protected by the Senju, and anyone working under the Senju name was duty bound to protect him.

Suffice to say, the shinobi that held a grudge at Naruto, protected him, however that did not mean that they had made his life happier. The day after the festival was the first day of the academy, Naruto's attitude towards his fellow classmates was indifference, Naruto didn't not go out of his way to show any kindness to them if they didn't show it first. Naruto's emotions caught the attention of three classmates, Uchiha Sasuke, Nara Shikamaru, and Aburame Shino. After the day was over Naruto returned to his home on the Sarutobi estate, another sign that his protection was guaranteed; however it was just a façade, the sign protected Naruto however because of Hiruzen's status himself, Naruto was not to live in the estate just off it; a lonely life for a child.

Those classmates mention before, left the academy and went to talk to their respective parents. Sasuke was informed by his father, that a friendship with the Uzumaki child will bring shame on their family. Fugaku, Sasuke's father, would not disclose further information as to why, but Sasuke would tell others later that his father actually looked saddened by what he had said; Sasuke's mother said that a friendship may not be supported by the family, but a rivalry of sorts would benefit the both of them, it was this day that she made Sasuke promise that whatever happened, that Sasuke was to help Naruto, and in turn Naruto would make him stronger indeed. Sasuke promised.

Shikamaru informed his father of his inquiry, and all his father said was that Shikamaru should just be Naruto's friend, and that he shouldn't look any farther then that, because Shikamaru would not be able to obtain his life of normalcy.

Last but not least was Shino, his father declared that the Uzumaki's were a very powerful clan and it was possible that power transferred to Naruto, his father did clarify that for no reason what so ever, was Shino to ever use their family's beetles against Naruto, or for support, because they would die.

The following day Naruto witness what he suspected was going to happen, the majority of the student body had turned on Naruto and treated him like he was the plague. Naruto had knew this and was not entirely upset, in time he will show his classmates that whatever their parents told them was false.

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3 Years after the Festival

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Naruto glared at the two in front of him, they must have been planning this for some time, both of them were staring at Naruto to complete what they had requested from him; Naruto could feel their cold stares as they waited, however it wasn't going to happen.

"So you are asking me to produce a Bunshin, a simple shinobi technique, a technique that I have already informed you I am incapable of producing due to my high chakra quantity and that if I don't produce it I fail?"

The mere fact that Naruto was questioning them brought a smile on the two academy teachers faces, they would be able to fail the demon, and sabotage his chances of becoming a shinobi for another year. Naruto was angered at the two of them; they had no right to enforce their will onto him, but they were going to try anyway. Naruto however suspected that these two went to great lengths to head the test today, seeing how both Umino Iruka and Mizuki-sensei had suddenly developed a crippling sickness two days prior to the test. These two must have known that Iruka was impartial to the Uzumaki heir and would find a substitute technique for him to try, and Mizuki would be a fair judge on his skill. They had planned to fail him, but there was a reason Naruto was thinking in the past tense. Naruto had levied his concern over the ability to produce Bunshin to the Hokage nearly 2 years ago, when he found regardless of how much he tried he could not produce a satisfying result with the Bunshin, the Hokage had agreed that Naruto needed an alternate test, confirming that Naruto's mother had the same problem. The Hokage agreed to let Naruto pass if he was able to discern why he was incapable to accomplish the technique and what could the possible remedies be. It was this year that Naruto was able to finally pass the Hokage's test. All Naruto had to do now was wait for the team selection and he would be officially passed. That was before Naruto was convinced that these men had somehow found a loophole in the Hokage's ruling, because when Naruto brought it up to them in secret, they informed him that Naruto was a civilian and not a shinobi and the Hokage could not do anything in his favor.

Naruto was flustered but all he had to do was talk to the Hokage, these two were just chūnin, and the Hokage was the Hokage, difference in knowledge and power. Naruto's mind set he turned around and walked away.

"I guess I don't graduate today."

Naruto walked past all the students that were laughing at him and one student a little harder then the rest. The boy was wearing a fur lined parka and had a dog on top of his head.

"Are you serious, you're just going to quit like that, I knew you were an idiot."

The boy kept laughing until Naruto rounded on him and stared at him with a small smile,

"Who ever said that I quit, this test is more of a formality for me, and I'm not worried."

The smirk that Naruto flashed to the boy grew concern in the minds of the proctors. That was not the emotion they wanted the boy to be conveying, confidence and pride would cause their plan to fail; the two knew that they had to inform him, the question was who would do it.

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Naruto sat outside the Academy on his normal spot on the swing; this was the normal spot that he was required to wait for his retainer, Kosuke. Naruto thought back on the man, he was more like an uncle that was like ninety years old. Naruto thought back to the times that the pressure of the loneliness became too much for the boy, and the old man would just hold him and let him cry it out, however the thought of the man brought much grief for the boy, in recent times the man health was ailing, and it was falling into illness. Naruto knew that this was the time he needed to become a shinobi; the reason was upon many, but the main reason was the ability to leave the village, Naruto needed to find the exalted Senju Tsunade and bring her back to heal his only family.

Naruto knew already that the two chūnin had something planned and they would soon try to spring it on him. Naruto looked out towards his classmates as they were met by their parents.

'_Parents…that is a nice thought, it's been a while since I thought about them. Father less then mom, mostly because it is too hard to think about him, but mom…would she proud of me? Would she be proud how I have handled my status as a Jinchuriki? Did she know the previous Jinchuriki? Was she maybe the last Jinchuriki's only friend? I think she was; Kosuke said that mom and the previous Jinchuriki were really close. But…would life be happier with her here, I know that Kosuke tries to arrange days with other kids' parents but they always decline, because even with my clan status, the Kyūbi will always taint it.'_

Naruto inner-monologue had an effect of sobering the boys mood, and to an outside person, it would look like the boy was upset. However about what, many people would get that wrong.

"So I hear that you failed the Genin test Naruto?"

Those few little words would have a tremendous impact on a person's life; however, sadly, the person was not Naruto.

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Inside the Hokage's office, the Hokage pondered on what was brought to his attention, this information held too many possibilities for it to be a mere coincidence. Sarutobi Hiruzen looked across his seat and looked at the boy. Naruto was a content boy, he held the title of clan heir well and did not let it make him ignorant, but that was because Naruto's heir status was only used to protect him, no one in the village seems to care that Naruto is the son of Uzumaki Kushina and have left Naruto with a lonely life. This lifestyle that has been forced on the boy has humbled him, and has made him mature. He was nothing like his mother in personality wise, his mother was rash and impulsive, but Naruto was more like a tightening spring ready to unleash its stored energy. Hiruzen chuckled slightly when he remembered the last time that happened, how the boy was able to fool his chunins and then make it to class has not been revealed to him. However all that aside, what was left was a competent individual that took his role with honor.

"You were correct in your assumption to come to me with this Naruto; your informing me of this information has sadly left a horrible outcome. Now there is nothing for you to worry about, Naruto-kun."

Naruto let out the sigh that he seemed to have held in, Hiruzen watched the boy's demeanor change gradually to stillness.

"If I may ask Hokage-jiji, what could the possible outcomes be?"

Hiruzen thought of the implications of informing the boy of anything, the boy was just a low priority individual, and really had no reason to know anything, until he gain ranking, but Hiruzen has watched the boy ever since he had returned 3 years ago; maybe in another life Hiruzen never made that decision to take him out of the village, and made him stay instead, maybe he would view the boy something akin to a surrogate grandson, but that was something completely different, the boy was gone for eight years, and even though he was in the care of one of his most skilled shinobi there was always a chance that the emotions that run within the boy has weaken the seal, and the Kyūbi could have influence the boy. Telling the boy anything could have drastic results. Naruto maybe a Konoha citizen however he is the only weaponized Jinchūriki in Konoha history, and that made Naruto a potential threat; Hiruzen may trust Minato's and Kushina's abilities with fūin, but the Kyūbi was a dangerous being, there was not telling what abilities it had. Hiruzen stared at the boy for sometime, Naruto seemingly squirmed under the gaze. Hiruzen watched Naruto fidget under his gaze, and in that moment just decided, who cares, the boy's life has not been ideal, and others would change, but the boy took everything in stride and always said, if not today, then tomorrow. Once Hiruzen found out what that meant, his perception on the boy lightened, the boy maybe a potential threat, but only an outside source would make him one, the boy had the Will of Fire in abundance, it was like a forest fire; the boy could be trusted.

"I apologies for such a long wait on your inquiry Naruto, but what I would reveal to you has to weighted against all possibilities. Now what I will tell you must be considered a secret of high secrecy, a level just like your Jinchūriki status, do you understand boy?"

Naruto felt immense pride that the Hokage deemed him worthy of learning and knowing of anything, however Naruto knew that not all the information would be disclosed, and there was a high probability that the information would be false, maybe as a way to test him.

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen stared at the boy for a moment longer and grumbled slightly and relit his smoking pipe.

"With your information regarding Mizuki-san and the detailed blueprints that you have handed to me, tells me that someone within my system is a traitor…I have many suspects already on who it could be, however we must know of the main culprit. With me allowing you to be read into this situation means, that when I ask for you, you will do whatever I ask, understood Uzumaki-san?"

Naruto understood immediately, Naruto was the Sandaime Hokage's shinobi, his solider, he would take his missions and complete at the best of his abilities.

"Good, now the first thing that must be gathered who Mizuki's contact is. Now the reason I say this is because, whoever gave Mizuki blueprints of the administration building, and the guard detail, would not handle this personally, they would have a middle man, Naruto your mission is to take the scroll, a fake of course, and you are to deliver it to Mizuki at the time and place he has disclosed to you. Now you must understand, that it is a high, very high possibility that Mizuki is going to kill you after you do what he has asked, so as a precaution, I will allow you to learn one technique from the scroll, the technique is the first one, you will understand the reason why I am allowing you once you have read up on the technique."

Normally if Naruto was alone and not in front of his leader he would jump for joy like an idiot, however the current situation did not call for it, that being said the Hokage was allowing him to learn a technique for a mission of high importance, and the way the Hokage said it meant that this technique was very important tool for this mission, and should be treated as such.

Naruto understood and showed his understanding by nodding. The Hokage, smiled fondly, seeing that the boy took this very seriously and pulled out a scroll, it was small in size, and it could easily fit in someone's hand.

"You have until the midnight to complete this technique, you are to stay here and I will oversee your training for it, be warned Naruto this technique is an A-Rank jutsu, and a kinjutsu, a forbidden technique. The Kage Bunshin no Jutsu is a technique creates solid clones of the user, and even though that sounds extraordinary there are disadvantages, the main reason that the technique is forbidden is because to produce this technique the user has to divide their chakra in half, specifically in half. The training of the move is the other disadvantage, unless you instinctively know your chakra amount and can evenly divide it; you will be wasting large amounts of your chakra trying to create the Bunshins. This is dangerous because the technique will not produce results unless exactly half of your chakra is divided, meaning, while training to use the technique and you miss the chance to get it right in one go, you have wasted your chakra, and then when you try again you will use more, however the same amount you use initially will not be the "half" you need to use to produce the technique. Think of it like this, in the beginning you have 100, and you need 50 to use the move, however you only use 45, you now only have 55 left, so if you use more then the amount you used before, 60, and you only have 55 left, you have -15, and now you are dead."

Naruto was amazed by the way that the Hokage taught, it was simple and easy to understand, and he didn't say it in a way that made you feel like a child.

"However once you learn the technique, the amount needed to produce the technique is less; but don't ask why because it hasn't been discovered yet, however with that in mind you should get started Naruto."

Naruto squared his shoulders and went to work on the technique.

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Yamashiro Aoba was a quite shinobi, he kept to himself and left others alone, this however didn't mean that he was shy, heavens no, it just meant that unless around others he deemed friends he was a reserved individual. This, however, only applied to normal tasks as a shinobi, recently Aoba had put in a form of transfer to the Intelligence Division of Konohagakure; he was happy to discover that he had all the perquisites to being accepted however he had to complete one last requirement before he was approved. Aoba's dark, spiky hair bounced with his every calculated step, his eyes, which obscured by the red-framed sunglasses, swept through the entirety of a room with careful precision. His standard Konoha flack jacket hugged closed to his chest, and gave no sound as he came to the last door on his sweep, and his forehead protector, which is worn slightly tilted to the left, did not have the normal reflection of the scroll when he walked through the Hokage's office. Aoba's eyes scanned the room, and when he noticed the scrolls absence, he immediately scanned the room with much more detection. Aoba came to find, a lone blonde strand of hair near the scrolls last placement, Aoba looked at it intensely and then walked out of the room to the secretary's desk; Aoba scanned the book for the names of the individual's that came to see the Hokage. Aoba found that, neither Inochi nor his daughter came to see the Hokage, and that the other people on the list did not have blonde hair, it was however the last name, towards the end of the day that gave insight. The Uzumaki heir, Naruto had come to see the Hokage.

With possible evidence in hand, Aoba disappeared in a gust of wind that left a scattering of leaves. The trip was short however the need to use the technique bypassed the obvious that the Hokage's manor was connected to the Administration office. Aoba rapped against the frame quickly and waited in a kneeling position, when the Hokage open the sliding door and looked at him he debriefed the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama on my sweep of the Administration offices, upon coming to your office I discovered that the Forbidden Scroll has been taken, upon investigating the room and the sign-in book, it is possible that Uzumaki-sama has taken the scroll, the possible motive could be his recent failure at the Academy."

Aoba watched as his Hokage sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, Aoba never knowing that he inadvertently just ruin an operation.

"Gather any available Joūnin and Chūnin, and meet in front, I will debrief them when I arrive."

Aoba nodded in understanding and disappeared.

Hiruzen had to control his frustration so he did not visibly show his emotions, however he could not fault Aoba at doing his job, as well as he did, however Hiruzen was playing a risky game with Naruto, Naruto was the only one that Mizuki would tell anything to. Not because the man cared for Naruto, or sympathized, Hiruzen knew that even the most diabolical villains, discloses all the information pertaining to their situation, to the people they felt were going to die by their hand; to not handle his job accordingly would tip to the traitors favor. Hiruzen walked calmly to the front of the Administration building, Naruto sadly was the bait, but now that the operation was discovered, Naruto was now more like a sacrificial lamb. Hiruzen walked in front of the building and saw his shinobi ready; Hiruzen knew that he had to choose his words carefully, if he said anything in the wrong way this will turn into a lynch mob instead of a search party.

"Aoba has brought it to my attention that the scroll has been taken, and that there might be a possibility that the Uzumaki heir, Naruto may have taken it, or might know information on the person that has taken it. The precise time that the scroll was taken is not known, however you are to search Konoha and the neighboring forests for any clues to person or person's involved. If any of you discover Uzumaki-san you are to view him as a person of interest, nothing more. If you discover Uzumaki-san with the scroll you are to detain him. No violence is to befall Uzumaki-san; any signs of disobeying my orders will result in a harsh penalty, you may disperse."

Hiruzen watched the visages of some of his shinobi change once the consequence were uttered, the Hokage was not known for his kind nature when it came to insubordination. The Hokage hoped that whoever found him first would be the small few that appreciated the boy for his constant sacrifice.

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Forest Surrounding Konoha

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Brown eyes watched the blonde monster, the eyes caught the exhaustion that the monster felt, he watched every movement, gauging whether "It" was actually the monster or just someone disguised as the monster. When the man felt that the area was clear, he exited his cover. The brown eyes took in the monster's attire, the eye catcher was the centerpiece of the shirt, a swirl, but this swirl was not just any swirl, no this swirl was on every flak jacket in the village, it was even on his own, this swirl it was a symbol, the swirl symbol signifying the once great Uzushiogakure, Konoha's sister village, and the symbol signifier for the Uzumaki clan. Those brown eyes watched the monster closely, their Hokage must have been a fool to think that, that "boy" could be the son of the great Uzumaki Kushina, the man knew a great deal of the fake "Uzumaki's" supposed mother and found this fake to be a stark contrast to the honorable Uzumaki Kushina. Rage filled the man's stomach, this "thing" wasn't the child of Kushina, couldn't be, Kushina was a strong individual and that meant that her personality should have bleed through to her "child" to, but no… this "child" was calm, collected, reserved, it seemed that it was always watching, waiting for the exact right moment to strike. The man shook his head clear of his thoughts, anger clouded ones mind and would cause him to fail, and failure was not accepted. The man continued to look the monster over, the pants the monster wore, were hakamas, dark orange in color, with bindings around the both thighs for its kunai pouch. On its feet were standard shinobi sandals. But regardless of what the man did that damn symbol always caught his attention. The monster seemed to notice his entrance to the clearing, and looked at him and waved, with a prideful smile…

'_no…in time that smile will turn to horror._'

Naruto looked to the person that exited the surrounding brush, it was Mizuki-sensei, but Naruto already could notice that Mizuki was not looking so well. Naruto eyes traveled, and picked up on Mizuki's style of dress, everything was the same, except that Mizuki was wearing a bandana to cover his entire head, and that he had Elephant Shuriken, two in fact, on his person, attached to his back. Naruto already knew that something was immediately wrong, and Mizuki's shinobi fitted for combat was not welcoming the sight.

"It seems that you were able to complete your task correctly, except for the little snafu of a unsuspected sweeper in the building, everything went according to plan, congratulations Naruto you pass."

Naruto smiled weakly at the praise and looked at Mizuki warily.

"Mizuki-sensei, maybe you can clear up some confusion."

Mizuki bit down on his anger and smiled at the boy, this thing was interrupting his plans.

"Alright Naruto, ask away."

Naruto nodded slightly and then looked off to the side.

"Well I just find this a little confusing, this whole test, you make me go into a building with blueprints in hand to test my infiltration, you tell me when to strike at the opportune time, and then you give me directions to the drop, if I didn't know any better… I think you didn't want me to fail."

Mizuki visage changed when the boy was done concluding his thoughts, the thing was suspicious, however because of that suspicion he would not be able to use his lie that he thought up, the thing wasn't dumb by any means, it was on the same intellectual level of an entry level chūnin, so there would be no point to lie, because it would find anything he says a possible lie, but all that left was the truth and what would he gain by telling the monster the truth…Mizuki paused and thought for a moment…although if he told a certain truth, than it would become distraught and he would be able to reclaim his element of surprise.

"You are right Naruto, I didn't want you to fail…no I wanted you to bring it right to me. See if I would have done this, it would have eventually led right back to me, and that would be embarrassing for me and other interested parties, no… a patsy was needed, and who better then the village pariah."

Mizuki watched with gradual rising glee as the thing looked confused.

"Do you not understand that word, pariah. Well in short for you, you are the object for all the villages' anger and hate. Haven't you noticed that even with your 'clan' status that no one cares for you, the villagers would pass you on the street and glare at you? The reason for that is because 11 years ago on the night of October 10th the fourth Hokage didn't kill the Kyubi like everyone has been told… no he did something else, HE SEALED THE KYUBI, NARUTO, IN HUMAN FLESH, YOUR HUMAN FLESH, NARUTO, YOU ARE THE KYUBI NO KITSUNE!"

Mizuki laughed hard and stared at the thing to revel in his psychological torture, but slowly Mizuki laughter began to decrease and then it stopped, this was because that the monster had done nothing… nothing, the monster wasn't shocked into a paralytic state, or crying frantically, the monster was doing nothing. The thing just stood there looking at him wanting him to finish.

"Mizuki-sensei it is common knowledge among the adults that the Yondaime sealed the Kyubi into me, I learned this from my retainer in our travels, this is not new information. It seems that someone must have told you a different side of what really happened, but its okay, I understand your hate for me and even if you do hate me, I won't hate you back."

Mizuki's mental demeanor was frozen in shock and confusion, this was not the way that the monster was supposed to react, it was supposed to laugh at the discovery, and then mock him, or something of that nature, but instead, all it did was accept that it was the monster, no… accept that the monster was sealed into him, and that he didn't hate him for it. Mizuki's mind however was not able to handle the human and selfless action, and he attacked; Mizuki speeded towards Naruto and struck at the monster with the shuriken, which he had pulled from his back in mid stride, Naruto was not aware of the speed difference between the two and could only bring his arms up in defense.


	2. Rocky Start

Naruto watched the spinning blade as it sped its way closer to its destination, which was him; Naruto knew he didn't have a chance to move quick enough, and there was nothing around him to use Kawarimi no Jutsu, Naruto knew of his impending doom, but no fear pulsed through his body, if he died he may have regrets but… he was okay with them. Naruto listened as the humming sound of the blades chopping the air approach closer…

The next thing that Naruto heard was the sound of those chopping blades pierce through something, but it wasn't Naruto. Naruto opened his eyelids slowly to see what could have impeded that deadly shuriken; Naruto peered at the object and regretted it immediately.

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He rushed as fast as he could; he had just heard the news from the Hokage that Naruto might have been involved with the theft of the Forbidden Scroll, however his anger at Naruto was placated by the Hokage. For some reason the Hokage gave him a cryptic message regarding Naruto, however for the life of him he couldn't decipher it. The man rushed hurriedly around the village trying to find any evidence of Naruto's trail; however it was only at a stroke of luck that he was able to catch a glimpse at the retreating form of Mizuki. Normally he would have left it alone; however the Hokage's message kept popping up in his head. This made him question his friend, where was he when the news was broadcast to ALL available bodies, his presence wasn't there at the meeting, but this small thought brought more questions, in-between the time that Naruto supposedly stole the scroll to before when Mizuki went to talk to the recently failed genin, did he become suspicious, of what? He couldn't be sure, but again the Hokage's message bombarded his mind.

'_Question anything that you hear about Naruto, alright, but also question the motives of those that last seen him_.'

He knew that Mizuki was the last to see Naruto, and knew from the grapevine that Naruto wasn't seen after his meeting with Naruto, if they had a meeting at all. So he followed, al ready losing precious time over thinking things.

He arrived in time to hear Naruto question Mizuki himself, about how easy it seemed, and how he gave him the tools to not fail. He knew right away that something was wrong, he could tell from his friend's body language; he was deciding on something, and when a wicked grin appeared on his friend's face, he saw a terrible side that he didn't know was there, his friend, Mizuki, had tricked everyone, even himself, Umino Iruka.

Iruka listened in to what Mizuki had to say to Naruto, how Naruto was correct in his assumption and that Naruto was the patsy due to his status as the village pariah. Iruka's mind faltered as he heard his friend lament on the boy, deluding the truth to a boy that already experienced a hard life and to hear the reason why would be too much for the boy's mind.

'_Mizuki-sensei it is common knowledge among the adults that the Yondaime sealed the Kyubi into me, I learned this from my retainer in our travels, this is not new information. It seems that someone must have told you a different side of what really happened, but its okay, I understand your hate for me and even if you do hate me, I won't hate you back._'

Iruka's grasp on the tree holding him up slipped slightly at Naruto's voice; Iruka stared at Naruto with pain and concern.

A mere boy of 11 had fooled everyone, no… that wasn't fair, no one tried to learn what pain the was going through, no one tried to befriend him, maybe save him from the loneliness that Iruka could only believe that the boy was under. Everyone just ignored him and glared at him, hoping that the boy would vanish, Iruka was one of those as well; but the boy knew the reason behind those cold glares, understood the reason for their anger and even would allow them to hate. Iruka was afraid that the boy would break and eventually succumb to the Kyubi, never knowing that the boy was conscious of his role, protecting them from the monstrosity.

Iruka looked towards Mizuki and found that the man was confused, and his rage was escalating, the reason for their friendship was the kindred hatred for the Kyubi, while Iruka hated the Kyubi inside Naruto, Mizuki hated Naruto for a walking reminder; and to hear that the focus of your hate and anger did not feel the same must be too much for Mizuki. Iruka watched his friend's anger reach its boiling point, and as it boiled over. Iruka was already in flight when his friend reached for his weapon and was on the mere edge of the clearing when the shuriken was thrown. Iruka watched as Mizuki watched in doubt as he moved in front of the shuriken's flight path; however Mizuki's doubt soon turned into betrayal and then hatred.

Iruka felt the blade tear through his left side, cleaving through his ribs but missing his left lung, the shuriken did however lacerate his kidney on the way out; Iruka placed pressure on his wound and looked back to Naruto. The amount of fear that the boy was giving off, sadden Iruka immensely.

"…Why?" Naruto said with his voice trembling.

Iruka smiled at Naruto with kindness he always wished to show Naruto, but was never able to seeing how the boy closed himself off from others.

"…because we both have experienced loneliness, we are almost the same, I was orphaned by the Kyubi's rampage and so were you."

Naruto body lost its balance slightly and Naruto peered at Iruka with sadness, in his time here in the village, no one ever compared themselves to him, they also would never recognize that they were both orphaned by the same thing, seeing how Naruto held it in his belly.

Mizuki could tell that Iruka was being honest with the boy, and he was bonding with the boy, but Mizuki couldn't have this not when he was so close to being done.

"Why not tell him everything Iruka, why don't you tell him how you limit his exposure to the arts and material to stunt his growth, how you planned to poison him, how you hate that thing…how you hate the KYUBI!"

Naruto watched as Iruka turned to Naruto and as his head casted itself down.

"I do hate the Kyubi, Mizuki…Naruto…but I came to understand that Naruto was just the vessel and that my anger may have been honest and directed at the Kyubi, but Naruto is an innocent bystander, and he doesn't need to feel my anger."

Iruka smiled as he experienced joy as he saw Naruto smile for the first time; Iruka however was not able to experience for long as his body gave out due to the strain his wound caused him. Iruka fell on his knees and then on his stomach as he pulled all of his will to stay conscious.

Naruto sprinted to Iruka's position and began to apply more pressure on the wound. Iruka was glad that Naruto had indeed paid attention to the mock first aid demonstrations to know how to properly apply pressure. Iruka looked up at Mizuki to see what was going through the man's head, he saw that the man was seething with rage, and that his mind was clouded with anger, he expected that Mizuki was not alone in his plan, and even expected that he was working for someone, based on that having blueprints to a building that housed the Hokage and the future shinobi of Konoha would be impossible unless the person was an infiltration expert, which Mizuki was not, and this sort of planning took immense amount of time, time that Mizuki did not have with being a teacher and with a girlfriend that he spends ever waking moment with.

"Who corrupted you Mizuki? Who went to you and told you to do this?" Iruka said pleadingly.

Mizuki current state of mind was not one ideal for a shinobi, his rage and anger had hindered his ability to rationalize and the ability to use discretion. Mizuki would have kept his mouth closed and said nothing, if he wasn't enraged, but Mizuki was not one for emotional recollection and once enticed in an emotion it was hard to break from it.

"I had the opportunity and the access to those damn children, any child that failed would have done but what could be better to tarnish the name of the Hokage and his hopes and expectation with the Kyubi, I hired those two idiots to fail him, Naruto's past records showed that he did not have the control necessary to produce a Bunshin, so I made sure that the last test was the Bunshin, but I also had to make sure that you were not present, I notice that your hatred was getting weaker, and I couldn't risk you ruining our plans, but I didn't have time to plan this, but another did. Yakushi Kabuto seemed to have planned this expertly, don't let the rank fool you, that man could be a jounin with his experience."

Mizuki never realized his folly until moments before it struck; Mizuki after disclosing all he knew ran towards the duo, neither had the strength or the means to stop him, and once he ended them, he would take the scroll to its intended target and be repaid handsomely. It was when Mizuki got closer did his intuition spark, his honed nerves telling him to evade, however he ignored them; Mizuki pulled his final shuriken from his back and slashed towards the two, not worrying that the shuriken would be stopped seeing how the blade was extremely sharp.

In a span of two seconds, Mizuki watched the Kyubi child kick off his right foot, pushing his body off the ground, twisting his body left as his body hovering over Iruka's mere inches above; landing the same right foot he kicked off from, the Kyubi child's body was facing away from Mizuki, glee that the demon got into a better position to protect Iruka Mizuki didn't expect the demon to place both hands on the ground and bracing on his right foot, kick out with his left. The kick impacted Mizuki chest and winded him from the force generated from the brace point, Mizuki's body flown through the air until it struck one of the surrounding trees. However this barely fazed Mizuki seeing how he was on his feet in matter of moments and was about to use the tree as a kickoff, but what he intended didn't occur, because Mizuki found that his hands and feet were bound by someone else's hands; moments later more hands appeared and grabbed Mizuki at his body's joints, preventing his movement immediately.

Mizuki looked back to see who had caught him, but was dumbfounded instead to find identical Naruto's holding him down, they all however held a sadden look on their face, as though they were pitying him.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" Mizuki said in a rage.

A Naruto was quick to cover his mouth with a gag; once that happened however Mizuki began to panic, due to his joints being over extended and his hand and ankle were held down, Mizuki was not able to generate the strength to throw the copies off him, if he tried the copies would pull on the appendage he tried to move. Slowly Mizuki's panic turned into fear and he looked at the demon child in front of him.

"Those are Kage Bunshins, Mizuki. They are more suited for my handicap when Bunshin is involved, they are an exact copy of me down to the chakra network, Mizuki. Why you are bound is because I planned for it, I made these clones way before you arrived in the clearing, and they positioned themselves on your six the entire time. I am not stronger then you Mizuki, I am weaker, but I had time to plan, and even the weakest person can defeat a stronger opponent, your words sensei."

Mizuki shuddered at those words, he had indeed said those words to the demon child, but that was mostly to keep it ignorant of its power.

"I also have known for quite some time that my weakness is techniques that require a low chakra requirement, I took this concern to the Hokage, knowing that the Bunshin was a requirement that Academy Students had to know to become genin, he told me that if I were to discover why I could not produce a Bunshin and what I had to do to remedy it, he would let me pass. I passed three days ago, and I have been waiting for the team placement, I was cleared from having to do the test, but was told to go as a formality. I never failed Mizuki, and once you came and told me of this "test" I took it to the Hokage, and he gave me this mission to learn who else was a traitor… you would have just gotten imprisonment until such a time Mizuki, however that offer is no longer available."

Mizuki wracked his mind on the reason that the offer was no longer on the table, never once thinking of the Sandaime's Law.

"Mizuki, you are hereby ordered to be executed, on the grounds of violating the Sandaime's Law. The law that states that the Jinchuriki status of one Uzumaki Naruto is never to be announced in the presence of another ignorant of it; this order is also in conjunction with coercion of a civilian with the criminal intent of the theft of a classified document, the possession of illegal blueprints to a governmental building without authorization, intent of desertion with classified documents, conspiring with an agent with the intent of espionage, and the attempted murder of a shinobi."

Mizuki struggled against his captors hoping to shake loose their hands, but it was to no avail, the demon had planned his capture greatly, and was not going to let him go. Mizuki watched the original Naruto nod to the clone behind him and moments later Mizuki felt the kunai pierce his chest where his heart was, and even felt the tip strike his rib near his back, a twist later Mizuki took his last breath.

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A Day Later

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The Hokage looked across the table at the man that would control the fates of three of his prospective genin. The man had the power to lead these three into an incredible future, but his appointment was more for political reasons.

"You understand your mission?" The Hokage said in a calm tone.

The man nodded his head in understanding while he looked over the dossiers of his potential students.

"Your immediate role is to teach those three until they obtain rank of chunin, however this is the cover, sadly you have a much grander role. In your team is the Jinchuriki of the Kyubi, Uzumaki Naruto, you are to watch over the boy and mitigate any of his emotions before they reach dangerous levels, you are to limit your exposure of your abilities to anyone outside of your team and those that already know about them. Do you understand?"

The Hokage looked at the man carefully to watch for any other feelings he might not be conveying, his large, almond-shaped, black eyes , didn't waiver has he looked down at the folders, his short brown hair was scratched as he looked at the dossiers more intently. The Hokage looked over the man's style of dress, it was a huge difference considering his normal style, but this reflected his new position, a variation of the standard attire of a Konoha-nin, with a flak jacket, the differences between his attire and that of the standard one is that his does not have the Uzushiogakure crest on the shoulders of the sleeves, and the neck of his shirt is form fitting and goes up to his chin. He also still retains two hip pouches strapped to his lower back instead of just one, something typical in his former position. In addition to that, he has a mask style forehead protector that frames his face, similar to that of Tobirama Senju-sensei.

The man looked up at the Hokage with concern.

"You agreed to these teams?" Confusion and concern laid heavy in his voice.

The Hokage nodded and watched the man look back down at the folders

"I find this a little unfair, the two others have no chance with a regular jounin, the boy's parent's holds a lot of influence and the girl, well her questionable heritage makes this team appear that those responsible for this match up had the intention of their failure."

The man looked back at the Hokage to see him nod.

"You would be correct, however it is not just the two, it is the entire team, just because Naruto-san is an heir does not grant him privilege over the others. I previously wanted to place Naruto-san and Uchiha Sasuke in a same team; however recent suspicion of the Uchiha motives with Naruto has forced me to correct that, however my initial choice for the team was, Naruto, the Inuzuka heir, and Hyuga Hinata. They would have been the ideal tracking team, yet it would seem that someone with deep connections sent a preapproved team list to the Daimyo and received its approval, super seceding my decision and vetoing my law."

The man could tell that the Hokage was reigning in his anger and rage, but it was minute subtleties what he was catching, the man looked down at the face of his team, and could already tell that their lives would deal with hardship.

'_Already at the beginning of their careers someone is trying to destroy them, and for misguided reasons too, it pains me to see such potential at risk because of other's prejudice.'_

The man paused in his thinking and looked up at the Hokage, the Hokage had a neutral face as he scanned the man for anything, he knew that his decision would cause a tremendous amount of strife for the Hokage, but the man knew he was strong, and there was no point in worrying about the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama, I am forgoing a test and will promote my team affective immediately." The man said with conviction.

The Hokage just raised one of his eyebrows in response; the Hokage paused slightly before grabbing the folders back from the man and stamping them and signing them.

"Team Tenzo is official; Uzumaki Naruto, Maru Fuzen, and Wasare Ami are now full fledged genin under my command."

The man, known as Tenzo, nodded at the Hokage and disappeared in a cloud of leaves; the Hokage however did not know what to expect from this decision, however he knew one thing, and that was the genin of Team Tenzo were now his soldiers and he did not have to worry about someone trying to sabotage their career at the moment.

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Sarutobi Manor – Uzumaki Clan Dwelling

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Naruto could hear the soft creaks of the feet of the intruder, Naruto could hear them as soon as they entered his domicile, it has to be noted however that Naruto is not yet trained and skilled enough to notice a new chakra signature entering his residence, Naruto knew because of a particular seal.

Naruto waited until he heard the soft shuffle of his door moving away from its closed position, and when the soft thumps actually got softer; Naruto knew who his intruder was, you did not live on the Hokage grounds and not know who this person was. The intruder rose the hands, within them an object of sorts, to dark to identify, the intruder lunged at Naruto in the bed, however once contact was made, Naruto transformed into a long and the intruder's oxygen was forced out do to the body blow.

"Next time Ko, you should use softer footsteps before you enter the room, not after."

Ko, was actually Sarutobi Konohamaru, the grandson of the Hokage, Naruto met the boy when he was brought to live on the grounds, it seemed that the boy was desperate for attention, however the boy was already receiving attention but it was not the kind he wanted, the boy being the grandson of the Hokage, he is placed on a pedestal that is too high for the boy to climb down, Konohamaru is his name, however people of the village only call him Hokage's grandson, effectively stripping the boy of his identity and forcing him to act out.

The first time the two met, Naruto called Konohamaru by his name, but then called him a brat, for whatever reason, and then knocked him out with a blow to his head. Naruto would never tell Konohamaru why he did it, but Naruto did it because he could recognize the loneliness that the boy experienced, and he wanted him to know that he would see him as he was, a brat.

Naruto looked at Ko, and grinned evilly, Ko saw this and looked around to find the instrument of his doom, however he could not find it, it wasn't until he looked to see Naruto holding onto his bed mat and recognizing that Naruto's mat was so close to the wall.

"Come see me at Ichiraku when you come to."

Ko grimaced as he knew what Naruto meant, Naruto quickly applied his strength in his lift and threw capsized the mat against the wall. When the mat fell Naruto saw that Ko was unconscious; Naruto chuckled at that and left the room, and later left the house.

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45 minutes later

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Naruto was waiting for Konohamaru in front of Ichiraku, Naruto decided that he wouldn't partake in having ramen at the moment, and would share this place with his team to bond.

Naruto didn't wait long at the ramen shop, he only been there for a couple of minutes, the rest of his time was spent elsewhere, and Naruto had stopped at shinobi outfitter before to purchase a new wardrobe. Naruto's previous clothes were chosen for their non-restriction to his movement and durability, this was because Kosuke believed that you shouldn't dress like a shinobi if you weren't one, stating that some enemy shinobi would see an attire and if they assumed you were a nin there was no amount of convincing from stopping them from killing you. So Naruto clothes before were simple; a simple "T" with his clan's logo on the chest, and blue shorts for the spring and summer season, and a longer sleeve and pant length for the fall and winter seasons.

Now however Naruto took what he remembered Kosuke told him:

'_You have to be conservative in your attire, too much and a nin can capitalize on lengthier material, to little and your skin is exposed.'_

Naruto respected Kosuke for his wisdom, mostly because the man has been a shinobi longer then all of the shinobi in the village and has seen his fair shares of battles. Naruto's attire was designed to accentuate his fighting style, the first layer of clothing was a hard impact material at the key points for Naruto's style, the elbows and the six inches down from the elbow to the forearm and up the triceps, and the knee and the six inches up the anterior of his quadricep and down the anterior of his shin, these hard materials were meticulously formed for Naruto's body, and the were designed as elbow pad and knee pads, however they were designed not bulky, but slim to fit underneath clothing and not show visibly, these pads were made to give Naruto tremendous striking power. Over his chest was stretch to fit, long sleeve shirt, with the collar snug around the base of his neck. This shirt was tight around Naruto upper body, but because of its stretching properties did not hinder his movements, the color of the shirt was a muted dark green, something that would blend better with the forests surrounding Konoha, on the shirt the Uzushiogakure symbol was stitched over Naruto's left pectoral muscle, but the stitching was orange in color. Naruto wore regular gloves on his hand, but on the knuckles of each gloves were a metal cap.

Naruto lower body was covered by a dark brown, light billowing material that gave a large amount of room around his knees, however at the ankles a black material secured the hem of the leg cuffs to his body, Naruto still had the billowing affect but only at the knees. The pants also had two crosscutting orange stripes down both legs ending at the ankles, and two weapon pouches on the sides of his hips.

The last two piece of Naruto ensemble were the most important to Naruto; the headband, that Naruto wore on his head, and the sandals he was wearing; Naruto sandals were different from everyone's else, Naruto's sole of his sandals was one piece of material, starting at the back of his ankle and travel all the way the bottom of his foot to the tips of his toes, the sole was bound to his foot by a strap at his ankle, one across the top of his foot, and then in-between his big toe and the toe right next to it, and once it came out between his toes it split in two and secure the sandals on both sides of his foot. These sandals were special made for Naruto and they were ordered by Kosuke; the material for the soles was the same hard impact material as his pads on his major angle joints.

Naruto soon heard the pitter patter of Konohamaru and smiled as he saw the large bump on the boys forehead.

"It is good to see you Ko, but next time just knock on the door, okay?"

Konohamaru blushed in embarrassment when his idol stated the obvious. Ko watched Naruto guide him into the shop and the two workers, Ayame and Teuchi, waved at them, Naruto waved back and sat down at the bar, Ko did the same thing and looked at the menu in front of him, Ko looked to the side to see that Naruto was not looking, but seemed to be waiting for him.

"Are you not going to eat today, Naruto-nii?" Sadness was apparent in Ko's tone.

Naruto smiled softly and shook his head no.

"I am not Ko, the reason is I have been promoted to Genin, and I don't want to spoil my appetite for today by eating ramen twice."

Ko heard what Naruto said and understood the underlying message that was there to.

'I can't train you anymore.'

Ko was happy that Naruto treated him no different than he would treat another kid, but Ko also knew that what they had was something different, Naruto cared about his progression as a shinobi and would train him when ever he got the chance to, it was never something big like, jutsu or seals, even though Ko begged Naruto for that, Naruto taught him theory and would spar with him, keep Ko on his toes so he would excel better then he did currently.

Ko understood and ate the rest of his meal with his idol in peace, when the meal was done Naruto paid for the meal and they both walked out of the shop into the busy main street, Naruto looked down at Konohamaru, only to see him depressed and kicking the ground. Naruto chuckled at this and turned to leave. Konohamaru was upset that Naruto just left without saying anything, but he knew better to try and say something, that would embarrass the both of them, it wasn't until a scroll rolled to his feet did Konohamaru notice anything, he picked it up and looked at the scroll, it was a simple tan parchment rolled into a roll, a simple wax seal holding it shut. When Ko opened it he was amazed to find that there was a jutsu in it, the Kawarmii, a note on the bottom was from Naruto, and all it said was this jutsu was a shinobi's lifesaver.

Ko reigned in his emotions that were bubbling in him, and he just turned away and ran home, or to his grandfather, he would help him, Ko was always told he was a good excuse to stop working.

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Academy

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Naruto waited patiently like all the rest of the genin, many kept their distance for the three years that they were in the Academy, only a few would come and talk to him. Aburame Shino was a reserved individual, never speaking more then was required, but when he did he showed his intelligence in those short words, somehow Shino pictured it in his mind that Naruto was someone to be respected, and Shino would always listen to him and agree, but not like a "yes" man, he inputted his opinion but he would usually agree with Naruto. When Naruto would ask why he agreed with Naruto so much, Shino was direct.

'_I will not deceive you with my intentions, a camaraderie with you will bring unquantifiable enhancements on my potential, and that is acceptable. Do not however confuse this with a mere "me using you" I find your presence appropriate and I wish to continue a conversational friendship, or something greater.'_

As intelligent as Naruto was he was only able to understand a portion of it, but Naruto did not care, a person was willing to be his friend, and it was apparent, Shino had invited Naruto to his family's home for dinner. Shino's parents were similar to Shino, but they seemed to be more in tune with their emotions, and as much as Naruto wanted to respect his mother's wishes, Naruto created a seal for the three main family members, and also left them instructions on how to make their own. Naruto was sure to forget how the seal worked for the sake of the clan.

This was Naruto's only interaction with a clan however; Shikamaru would converse with Naruto on an occasion, but would soon stop when he found that Naruto would hold back in their conversation, Shikamaru would always state that Naruto was enigma that he wanted to solve, but suspected that learning them would make his life troublesome.

The last was Uchiha Sasuke, they had, what you would call a rivalry, Sasuke would challenge Naruto, in whatever way that he found beneficial to him, which Naruto suspected was actually for both, and would have this cold demeanor. Not once did they interact in front of their classmates, but Sasuke always seemed conflicted about something.

'_And speak of the devil_.'

Naruto watched Sasuke walk up to his desk and just stare at him, incidentally this caused a reaction to everyone around them, many called out that the Uchiha was looking for a fight and that spread like a fire and everyone began to surround the two on the descending platforms.

"You have been evading me, Uzumaki."

Naruto looked at Sasuke and knew that he was annoyed, Sasuke was correct in his thoughts, Naruto had took it upon himself to evade everyone that bothered him for the past two weeks, due to him finalizing his test for the Hokage, Naruto suspected that Sasuke needed this rivalry more then him, mostly due to his family's massacre and his mother in a genjutsu afflicted coma, Naruto tried to remember why this all started but for the life couldn't remember, it just happened one day, and for the past three years this is how it went.

"You better get ready, I will win this time."

This admittance of his failure shocked some of Sasuke's admirers, and would later whisper to others that Naruto must have cheated to score a win. Their classmates watched as Sasuke got in a stance of some sorts, his right leg was back behind him, his left leg bent, and he was cradling his fist on the side. Naruto smirked at this and got in the same position. Many people gasped at this and back away quickly, giving the two a large berth of space; in a random moment the both of the thrust out their fist.

"JANKEN."

Many of the spectators lost their footing at what was said, many of the males in the room were embarrassed at the sight of unmanliness, the admirers of Sasuke frowned. Some went back to what they were doing until they heard Naruto exclaim something.

"You bastard you didn't tell me we could change mid thrust."

This stopped the former spectators and they looked back at the two, they were amazed however by what they were doing, they were still playing janken, but it was at a speed that wasn't normal for the game. The speed of the thrust was actually quite faster then some of the students could pick up on, and soon the grunts of annoyance were coming from both of them. Soon the both of them started yelling out "point", not many people realized what they were doing, but Shikamaru soon brought out a pad a pencil and began writing down on it.

A moment later Shikamaru's family friend, Ino walked over to Shikamaru and looked at his pad and found that Shikamaru was actually keeping count.

"What are you doing Shika?"

Shikamaru looked back and just pointed at the duo in a janken battle.

"They are yelling out there point of who wins, this is a battle of a different sort, one that is ingenious if you know what to look for."

Ino looked back at Sasuke and Naruto and found nothing but blurs.

"What do you mean?"

Shikamaru sighed in annoyance and pointed at the two.

"The game is Janken, that is obvious, however what is different is how they are playing it, normally the speed of the game is simple pace that everyone can see, however these two have taken it to a different level, they are playing the game that would make it hard for anyone that hasn't played at this level, the only thing that we can see obviously is the retract to starting position. When one of them says point, that means that person won the draw, however Naruto stated something about changing the sign at the mid thrust, meaning that these two have the speed to change their sign in mid thrust, that in itself is difficult, but being able to see the change is difficult, the change of hand sign brings about an entire different level, these two must be able to react at the same when they see the change. I have been watching them, and Naruto and Sasuke are able to make three changes before the last sign. Like now Naruto starts of with rock, and Sasuke sees it and changes his scissors to paper, Naruto sees this and changes it to scissors, Sasuke sees the scissors, changes it rock, they do this until the end part of the thrust, whatever is the hand sign at the end stays, and whoever wins, wins. Currently Naruto is winning, meaning that Naruto has faster reaction speeds then Sasuke."

Ino listen carefully to her friend, she knew that Shikamaru was smart, but she didn't know that his eyes were fast enough to see those changes in that speed, but this also brought up some glaring deficiencies of her person, Shikamaru was able to see this battle, but she couldn't, this told her she was lacking in the strength department, but this also clarified that Naruto was just as strong as Sasuke, maybe even stronger.

Ino knew the class apprehension of Naruto, and knew most of why the didn't like him; she however never really cared about Naruto, not enough to ignore him, and not enough to care, she left him alone because that was what other did. Rumors of his clan started to pop up in the class, and Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei would answer them. The class knew that the clan was very powerful, but that never meant that Naruto was; Naruto scored in the middle, never trying to excel more and never letting it fall, Naruto just did average, and seemed content with that, however because of his complacency, the classmates perceived that Naruto was talentless, and would call him that. He never agreed with them, and never proved them wrong.

Yet seeing him now, with the contender for "Rookie of the Year", and matching him and beating him was too much for Ino at the moment.

The last point said, Naruto threw his hands in the air and whooped in joy.

"Again you lose Sasuke, 19-17, my favor; get better rookie."

Everyone heard the hit at Sasuke's ego, and suspected him to retaliate, but none ever came, Sasuke just smirked faintly and turned and walked away, he stopped for a moment and then looked back.

"Once your done with meeting your team, and I am done with mine, stop by the hospital I want you to meet her."

Naruto stopped in his celebration and smiled at Sasuke and just nodded, Naruto sat back down at his desk and rested his head.

This conversation between the two confused the remaining classmates, some speculated that Sasuke wanted Naruto to meet his girlfriend; others just gave up because the initial idea of Sasuke having a girlfriend was stupid enough to stop them from thinking.

The door opened and Iruka came into the classroom bandaged up, many of the students expressed their concern for his well being but played it off.

"I am happy to see that you have passed and have become shinobi, but as happy as I am I must inform you, there are dangers to being a shinobi under a Kage, dangers we were not supposed to tell you, you still have a choice, you can leave and stay a citizen or face these dangers. As shinobi your first priority is to the village and the people in it, you are to protect them even at the cost of your life; those ideals you have that you will save a princess or hunt wanted fugitives, those are not the type of people the Hokage wants. The Hokage wants shinobi that will do what he asks and not question them, you are genin the lowest rank in our shinobi system, no one cares about your opinion, you are to listen to your superiors, and only bring ideas. You are the grunts, the cannon fodder, if you are able to obtain enough experience you will be promoted, but understand this, you have shown that you are capable of being a shinobi, the Hokage decides if you go further, remember that. The team selection will start, and those who are placed in a team, there will not be changes to the team, these were decided by experts in team management and approved by the Hokage. Final say before I end this, your team is your family, they will grow with you, and they will feel pain with you."

Everyone that heard Iruka's final speech took it in different ways, the initial tone made most of them cringe, many others took some things that Iruka said and forgot the rest, but many understood the message. You are the tool of Konoha and her interests, you are at the bottom of the pole, you are unimportant right now, the only way you'll become important is if you get stronger, you will follow your orders as they are given and your team is important.

Everyone seemed to have selected hearing because they only listened for their names.

"Team 2 consists of Maru Fuzen, Wasare Ami, and Uzumaki Naruto, you jounin is Tenzo, Tenzo asks however that you leave and go to the fountain near the market place, he is handling some last minute issues and will meet you there."

Naruto was proud that he was able to receive a team, and did not care who was in his team, he had finally became a shinobi, and he would fulfill his dreams.

xxXXxxXXxxENDxxXXxxXXxx

Hahahaha, Naruto has a team, but who are they, and what importance do they have, you have already heard what their dossiers have on them, but what is the meaning behind them, you will know when it is uncovered. Readers of Naruto should know who Ami is; she was strangely absent for having such a dramatic role in Naruto regarding Sakura and Ino, so I decided to give her a purpose, Fuzen is someone completely made up and is my intellectual property.

The decision of Tenzo was not that hard, I personally believe that Kakashi was only given Naruto because of who Naruto's parents were and Kakashi potential relationship with them, I say potential because we have not read anything that Kakashi and Minato had anything but a teacher student relationship, and if anyone says that Tenzo's name is Yamato, your and idiot, Tenzo was named Yamato as an alias by Tsunade, and seeing how this is the start of the story he will never have that name.

The description of Naruto's clothing was extensive but was needed, if you need an idea of what he looks like, just picture it, lazy. More about Naruto past will be explained but until then read on you readers.


	3. Overindulgence

Team 2, the recently grouped team of Uzumaki Naruto, Maru Fuzen, and Wasari Ami, were walking in proximity of each other while they traversed the village road to the fountain in Market Square. Naruto did not care that the villagers would glare coldly at him, or ignore his presence; Naruto knew that his life had now changed with him becoming a genin; Naruto looked up at his other teammates and tried guessing their personalities by their interactions with passing villagers; Naruto expected Ami as being as crass and rude as she was with him to the villagers, but she was in fact joyous around civilians, but short moments when shinobi would pass her, Ami's demeanor would change to fear, but as quickly as it would come, it would disappear just as fast.

Fuzen on the other hand was entirely different, he would give people such a wide berth you would expect he was extremely contagious with something, if he would have bumped into someone he would apologies profusely, but Naruto caught something weird, it was the last time Fuzen bumped into someone, the person said that the son of the "Twin Maru Blades" didn't need to apologies. For some reason the mentioning of that brought created an anger in Fuzen that Naruto had not expected, Fuzen's anger was so apparent that the person hurried away in haste. Naruto regretted trying to guess their personalities, seeing now how their personalities were confusing.

Soon the fountain came into view and a lone shinobi was standing at the fountain.

"Tardiness will not be accepted, do not be late again... do you understand?"

The shinobi seemed to be their sensei and he was scary, the man turned to face them and seemed to have a dark shadow appear on his face and the face seemed to be longer. Naruto shuddered immensely at the face and screamed in agreement with his teammates.

"Sadly your lateness has infringed on my time and right now I have more things that need to be done, I am giving you another hour for lunch, bond with your teammates, and then return here in after."

Their sensei didn't even leave any time for their response before he disappeared in a cloud of smoke which oddly had leaves scattering from the center. Naruto was enthusiastic in fulfilling his sensei's orders and was more eager to know more about his teammates.

"Ami... Fuzen I know this great ramen shop where we can go talk."

Naruto smiled softly at his teammates, but when the both of them turned around to look at him, Naruto read their feature and garner their responses.

"Sorry Naruto, I'd rather you not have your name ruin by being in my presence."

Naruto was confused at this and had to stop himself from scoffing at the statement. Fuzen began to turn away, but stopped to hear Ami's answer.

"I have no reason to consort with a person like you; you clan heirs are all the same."

Naruto didn't expect anything less, but in actuality, deep inside Naruto, he did in fact hope for something more.  
>Fuzen noticed Naruto's features and noticed he seemed to accept their response, Fuzen was perplexed and wanted to say something, but he didn't want to sully anything. Naruto held in his disappointment and walked away. Moments later Fuzen left and Ami followed suit behind Fuzen; neither of them knew that their interactions were watched by a figure above them.<p>

Tenzo had been watching his students interactions ever since he left, he scrutinized them individually with a critical eye. Naruto's style of dress showed he was prepared for the work ahead, sadly the same could not be said for Ami, Tenzo was surprised that Ami came to the team selection in a white and light blue sundress, Tenzo could only hoped that she would come prepared better tomorrow, she wasn't overly dressed like some of the other girls, she had no necklaces or earrings or bracelets; thankfully her hair was short and manageable, but the color?...purple? That color would make stealth more complicated to achieve. Her body was the ideal shape for her age, she had yet to develop her bust, or her hips so training her would be easier. Fuzen on the other hand was outfitted for sword fighting, his pant cuffs were loose, making the illusion of fluidity, which was meant to capture attention, however the color tan was not a natural occurring color in or around Konoha other then dirt; his shirt was a form fitting zipper vest, this time the color was white, with brown hem strips, but it was the rare color of his hair that stood out the most, but also brought him much criticism, bronze colored hair was not a natural color, but it also wasn't the color of his parents.

Tenzo however was extremely disappointed with their interaction, instead of finding a common issue that they could converse about and break the ice, Fuzen let his self deprecating personality hinder him in his social progression, and Ami's self confidence issues revert into a loathing of anyone of clan and shinobi status, the answer of why she had joined the program was beyond him, but the most disappointing moment was when Naruto accepted their rejections, not once choosing to defy it.

People were worried about these children gaining strength and had chosen to sabotage them, yet the children did a better job then anyone else; Tenzo hoped he didn't have to resort to this, but a little conflict was in order.

xxXXxxXXxxXXxx

Fuzen was always a lonely child, most of it was actually by choice, for most of his life his mother saw him as nothing as a harmful reminder, and because of this Fuzen felt his existence was a blight on people's lives. Fuzen chose this seclusion and accepted it, so he had become accustom to being alone, and became upset when people infringed on seclusion, that was why he was currently glaring at his female teammate.

A short time after he left, Ami had appeared beside him, when he asked why she was following him, she would say that they were going to the same area. Fuzen however was not fooled and expected she would try to break the ice soon.

"So would you like to get something to eat?"

It was sooner then later, Fuzen however was disgusted at Ami's actions.

"You are asking me to eat when our teammate just asked you to the same thing? What is your problem?"

Ami looked away ashamed of her actions.

"I know I feel bad but I just don't like him, he's a clan heir, the world is handed to them on a silver platter."

Fuzen glared at Ami and turned away from and begins to walk away.

"That's not enough, did you notice how he handled our rejections, he acted like it was a common occurrence, that is not something that should be common!..."

Ami seemingly got aggravated by the boy and walked up to him and got in his face.

"And your way was better, "I don't want to ruin your name." what kind of bullshit was that you were slinging... what makes yours so different from mine you asshole?"

Both of their foreheads were touching and when Ami was talking she would push against Fuzen's.

"Because any association with me would ruin his name, me... the bastard child, my mother's curse, the evidence of her victimization!"

Ami backed away when Fuzen said this, he was correct, when a child is born from an act of rape, that child is associated with a large and destructive stigma, Ami bit her tongue, knowing any other rebuttal would fall to that, Ami was going to apologize but was never able to get the chance before Fuzen and herself were body checked into the closest alley. Years of training allowed them to go practically unscathed and able to recoup faster, however when they did, they discovered that their attackers were civilians.

Both Ami and Fuzen were lost for words, it was unheard of for a civilian to attack a shinobi, let alone two, but both looked at them with a look akin to hate.

"Well look at this, we caught two genin elites off guard, I thought shinobis were supposed to be our superiors, wasn't that right Ren?"

The civilian that spoke was a husky man, his physique was built for manual labor and heavy lifting, "Ren" however was the polar opposite, he had the stature of a scarecrow.

"That's right Den, the Uzumaki must be making them stupid."

The mention of Naruto gained both of Ami and Fuzen's attention, especially the hate when they said his name.

"Too bad they don't know the truth about him or else they would transfer from the team, maybe we should give them an incentive."

Ami was already upset with the fight she was having with Fuzen and these two idiots were making it worse… all because of the Uzumaki.

"You know you and your butt buddy can go tell the Uzumaki, he can go to hell, just because he's a clan heir doesn't give him..."

Ami's next words were lost, because Den had punched her in the mouth; Ami regained her balance and rushed forward to beat the shit out of Den, her progress however was stopped by Fuzen.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Ami struggled against Fuzen's grip, but was surprised to find the boy had very strong hands.

"They're civilians Ami, if you were to strike them, you would be stripped of your rank."

Ami cursed at her lapse in memory and found that Den and Ren had a wicked cruel.

"You said something about the shit, Uzumaki, about his clan heir status... you guys should know the truth about that; his status isn't worth shit. People wouldn't care if he was the Yondaime's son. He is a constant reminder to the villagers and we hate him for it."

Fuzen never could of imagine the mass majority of the village hating an individual, in Fuzen's case maybe some, but how Den said villagers made him think it was true; Fuzen did notice that on their walk to the fountain Naruto was given the coldest glares he had ever seen. Fuzen knew of the predicament that he and Ami were in, they were cornered by civilians and they were forbidden to fight back. The two edged closer and closer, he could only imagine what Ami was going through.

'_What the hell is going on, I was so sure that the Uzumaki sent them as payback for our rejection, how is it that he is hated this much... no the real question is how can he live with it?_'

The civvies were upon them and they looked ready to strike, that was until a loud sharp whistle caught Ren and Den's attention, they turn their heads to find the object of their hatred.

Uzumaki Naruto was standing at the entrance to the alley; he walked into the alley with his hands in his pockets, and moved over to Fuzen and Ami and stood in front of them, like a shield.

"Hey guys did you know that nearly the whole village could hear your yelling?"

Naruto chuckled at his own joke, which only further puzzled Ami and Fuzen.

"Naruto this isn't a laughing matter, they are going to beat us just for being on your team, what the hell did you do?"

Ami yelled in a hushed level; Naruto however just turned and looked at Ren and Den.

"It doesn't matter what I did or didn't do, they wish to punish you and I can't let that happen, their hatred is my burden to bear."

Ren and Den were excited that the Uzumaki had came, they hoped that beating up its' teammates would make it come running, but it came on its' own, however suddenly Ren and Den's exhilaration wasn't the same as it was, the boy was ready to accept their beating, for whatever reason.

"Let them leave, your hatred is aimed at me, and should be only at me."

The duo agreed but not without confusion, this wasn't what they expected; what type of person would accept another persons' hatred… willingly. A small voice in the back of their mind reminded them that the demon child was just that a child, a lonely child that came to a horrible conclusion that he needed to carry everyone's hatred on top of his burden. Suddenly both Ren and Den didn't have the same enthusiasm that they did before.

Ami and Fuzen were given the okay to go by the men, Fuzen, at the last minute was able to capture the men's confusion, an emotion that both Fuzen and Ami were feeling, and Naruto spoke as though this was his job or something, as though it was his duty to accept the villagers' hatred. Whatever it is that the villagers hated Naruto for; Naruto must think their hatred is just to accept it. Fuzen then remembered something from his sibling once said "Even the strongest protector could come to hate those they protect." The question that Fuzen was thinking was in two parts, what did the villagers hate Naruto for, and did Naruto hate the villagers because of it.

Ami's mind was everywhere else, Naruto's self-sacrifice was commendable but why do it in the first place, he admitted that he had heard them and yet he was willing to let them escape a beating, but also her mind was on the villagers' hatred. Ami prided herself on always being up to date on gossip, but not once did the reason of the villager's hatred for Naruto ever being mentioned. To Ami's recollection, Naruto never did anything that garnered this hatred, yet he was willing to accept it; Ami found that the most confusing part, being hated by a single person was manageable but to be hated by a large number of people, what type of person did you have to be to handle that.

Fuzen and Ami exited the alley but stayed at the entrance, in the next moments they saw the civilians run upon Naruto and start dishing out a beating that made them both cringe. Time and time again that Naruto was struck down he would stand back up and tell them to go again. This happened several times and by the time it was done Ami and Fuzen came to the conclusion that no sane person would accept this form of hatred or any other, and at that moment they knew the truth, something was wrong with Naruto, granted normal was not correct in it's use but something was wrong with Naruto, and sooner or later this would become to much for the boy to take. The two civilians walked out of alley with looks of defeat. The husky civilian, Den, stopped and looked at the Uzumaki's teammates.

"Go help your teammate… something is wrong with that kid… he needs help."

The husky man walked away from the kids and walked up behind his friend, the both of them walked for some time before hooking a left into another alley; already in the alley, there was a lone figure, the two men had no idea who he was but the man was in fact the sensei of the three kids they just left in an alley.

Tenzo was sadden at the interaction of his students and placed them in a situation where they can learn the truth about one another, this was not a perfect plan but it would work to a small degree, however it just showed Tenzo what he suspected, Naruto had taken his role as the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi to a dangerous level, and felt that it was right, not understanding the psychological damage it was creating.

Naruto had created a painful life for himself, and Tenzo could guess the outcome; if the villagers did not change their opinion of Naruto... he would come to hate them, and if he was pushed over that edge, he could possibly release the Kyūbi on the village. Tenzo sighed as he threw the bag of ryo at the two men; one of the men caught the bag in mid air and took only a few pieces, and threw the bag back.

"You sent us knowing the kid was damaged goods, it's not right regardless of what the kids holds inside him."

The men walked away from Tenzo and disappeared in the crowd. Tenzo began smiling as the civilians left.

'I guess we don't have to wait too long on the villagers' opinion.'

Tenzo disappeared from the alley in the cloud of smoke and leaves.

xxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxx

Fuzen and Ami rushed to pick up Naruto, who had been beaten to a swollen mess; both Fuzen and Ami hooked an arm over their necks and carried Naruto out of the alley.

Ami's building emotions were starting to get the better of her and she bopped Naruto on his head.

"What the hell were you thinking, taking a beating like that, you could have run away you know?"

Naruto hissed at the strike and heard Ami belittle him, but unbeknownst to Ami she had showed that she at least cared about Naruto's well-being.

"If I did they would never understand my feelings, I have to show the villagers that I am strong, and even if I have to do it one villager at a time I will show them."

Naruto's conviction caught Ami unaware and brought a blush on her face at his words, Ami was embarrassed that she didn't have that type of determination.

Fuzen sighed and shook his head, Naruto had no idea that his plan would ultimately bring him pain, but with that determination, Fuzen wasn't as worried as he was.

"Next time let us take our share of the beating; we can't let you take all that hatred."

Naruto's swollen face turned to look at Fuzen, Fuzen saw the swelling was more pronounced around the cheeks and eye sockets and made seeing hard. What Fuzen didn't know was that his words had an extreme affect on Naruto, Fuzen had just said that he would lessen the burden that Naruto had, even if he didn't say it.

"Yeah Fuzen right, you might be a clan heir but you are okay by my book, just call me if you need anything."

The same thing for Fuzen went for Ami, because of the swelling Fuzen and Ami were not aware of Naruto's tears of joy. The two took Naruto to a park to rest, they still had to meet their sensei and he didn't seem the man to accept someone being taken to a hospital as an acceptable excuse.

xxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxx

With the additional hour up team 2 walked back to the fountain with time to spare, the atmosphere around them was uncomfortable, regardless of what was said, ingrained personalities couldn't be changed automatically, Fuzen still wishing to be alone and sat away from the others, as did Ami, but if one of the teammates were to talk, they would interact. The tension was cut in half at the arrival of their sensei, the man appeared how he disappeared on them the last time, the man seemed aware of his surroundings, because as soon as he appeared the man looked around and found the market practically empty, a few people here and there, but nothing to be cautious about, Tenzo looked at the three kids in front of him and noticed that they seemed to tolerate the others presence, something Tenzo was hoping his plan would create.

"Good afternoon, I am Tenzo and I am your new sensei, to first start off I will start with an omission, those two men that accosted you and attacked Naruto, were sent on my orders."

All three were genuinely shocked to be told this, Naruto more so then the others.

"Now do not misunderstand my reasoning, so listen before you allow your minds to jump to conclusions. You three all have your secrets, you would rather those secrets not be known, but those secrets you have, have shaped your personalities, and sadly your personalities do not mesh, so there was immediate conflict. Konoha shinobi structure strives on teamwork and unity, and conflict is the destroyer of those; so I placed you all in a position where you learn the reason your personalities do not mesh, some reasons were not shared, and some were. That is ok, but now you three have an understanding with each other and I can work with that."

Naruto was the one that listened the most intently, their sensei didn't seem to be deceiving them, but Naruto wasn't so sure, the man had sent people to beat them to teach them understanding of one another, regardless of his reasons, this man could be dangerous.

"However with my next reason I am not going to sugar coat this, you three have been set up to fail."

The three wavered at that and felt a sort of numbness over took their bodies.

"For reasons known to you, people have been actively trying to sabotage your career, and the team selection was their final step, if the people orchestrating your failure were to succeed you would have been given a teacher that would have failed you, and you would have then been banned from reentry to the Academy...however sadly for them, I do not make a habit of failing people."

Three's heads shot up in the air when they heard their sensei spoke, all three of them feared that their hard work was coming to an end.

"I have trained fresh academy students to becoming elite ANBU, and you will be my masterpiece; normally right now other senseis are giving their students a test to see if they are genin material, some pass, some fail, for me I know you are genin material, because I will make you. Congratulation Team 2 you are now officially genin, now you have rest of the day off, but remember this you are shinobi, you will train to get stronger, so you must be prepared, meaning Ami you better wear something else then a damn sundress tomorrow, we all meet back here at 0600 hours, do not be late."

Tenzo again disappeared in a cloud of smoke and leaves, the three of them were excited but controlled themselves not to show it. Ami turned to Naruto and pointed at him.

"Good now that were genin we don't have to worry so much about stuff... but first, Naruto go to the hospital to get checked out."

Naruto was about to reject when he remembered that he told Sasuke he would be by. Naruto nodded and let without a fuss, soon Ami left and then Fuzen.

xxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxx

Naruto was just finished being looked at by a doctor, the doctor said that there was no permanent damage and Naruto would be alright in a couple of days, which for Naruto was a couple of hours, Naruto left as soon as he was given the ok and traveled to the west wing of the hospital, Naruto had come this way many times before and arrived at the door to the room. Naruto knocked and waited for a confirmation and invitation, Naruto was given both and entered the room, this room was different from the normal hospital rooms, first it had more space, and second it was given a personal touch, and in the center of the room was a hospital bed and in that bed was a black haired woman, her eyes closed and a breathing apparatus on her face.

This woman was Uchiha Mikoto, the Matriarch of the Uchiha clan and mother of Uchiha Sasuke, who was sitting on the room's windows sill. Naruto walked over to Sasuke, who when looked up cringed.

"Jeez who went to town on your face, one of Hokage-sama's apes? I thought we decided to stay away from them because the last beating you got."

Naruto glared at Sasuke and flipped him off.

"A beating you would have shared if you didn't oust me like that, telling them I had an ape skin wallet."

Sasuke laughed at the memory; when Sasuke was done he opened his eyes he saw that Naruto was standing near his mother's bed.

"She's currently stable; the doctors believe that she will make a full recovery once she is out of the coma."

Naruto nodded and smile and sat down at her side.

"Sas, did your mom ever talk about my mom?"

Sasuke knew that question was one that Naruto needed to know; Sasuke remembered the time they had first met and the loneliness he felt from Naruto. Naruto once told Sasuke that he really had no reason to protect the villagers, and being Naruto's friend, just like his mom and Naruto's mom, Sasuke wanted to give Naruto a reason to protect the village, even if it was his own mother. Sasuke sat across from Naruto and started to tell him one of the many stories his mom told him of Uzumaki Kushina.

xxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxx

When the following morning came the next day Naruto was at the fountain; Naruto had just finished his morning routine and was ready for the day to begin. Naruto soon heard the sound of panting and looked up to find a training ready Ami, the sundress was replaced by durable quality track pants, which were bound at the ankle, they were dark green in color and the binding was a earthy brown, bind was also wrapped on her hands and wrist all the way up to her elbows, she wore a simple tank top, yet an added addition was present, that her chest was bound by bandages.

Naruto stared at Ami, he wasn't surprised that she was ready for a grueling day; he was more surprised that she had breasts that needed to be bound down.

Ami however caught Naruto leering and picked up a rock and pegged the looky loo in the head.

"Yes I have breasts... now be a gentleman and stop staring!"

Naruto shook off the pain that came from the blow and sat down at the fountain. The next person to arrive was Fuzen, but the boy was looking embarrassed for some reason, Naruto didn't understand until he saw the basket the boy was carrying, Naruto waited until Fuzen got closer, it was then that Fuzen took out two apples out of his basket and gave them the apples.

"My sister says that after we are done you are invited to dinner..."

Naruto could tell that Fuzen seemed to be uncomfortable with the offer and when Naruto was about to decline he saw fear in Fuzen eyes.

"I think I haven't explained myself, I tried to make the proposition kinder, but my sister said that if any of you decline she will find where you live drag you to a tree and beat you with a stick..."

Naruto quickly changed his thoughts and enjoyed his apple; this was the scene that Tenzo walked in on and couldn't be any happier, he made his presence known and looked them over, both Ami and Fuzen had changed their outfits, but Fuzen just had a less severe looking outfit.

"I am glad to see that my students can take their position serious, and while on a serious note I have to tell you, that you are weak..."

Fuzen and Ami reacted like any normal person, they're anger spiked and they had a hard time trying to control their emotions, both looked at each other to validate their anger and when they looked at Naruto, they faltered. Naruto just sat there calmly waiting to hear more.

"Naruto it seems that your acceptance has confused them, care to tell them why?"

Naruto looked at his teammates and back at his teacher, Naruto was not one to speak harsh truths but the way his sensei requested it, it was more implied that he had to.

"Tenzo-sensei is correct, we are fresh academy students, we don't have the experience or training like the other genin, in terms of shinobi experience we have none, my retainer always told me that the person that had that little extra something then the others were the ones that pass the academy, but that little something only helped us pass the academy, we need guidance before we are considered strong by anyone."

Fuzen knew that Naruto made it as nice as possible, seeing how he had heard the same thing from his sister, but he knew that if it were anybody else they would rip them a new one.

"Naruto is correct on all fronts, Fuzen you were able to pass because of your previous training in kenjutsu, Ami you had focus that led you through the classes, and Naruto you have been prepared to pass the academy even before you started, now don't be alarmed about how I know this, I wouldn't be a former ANBU if I didn't do my reconnaissance. That will all change, but I have to know if you have what it takes, so before we start I want you all to tell me your aspirations, your goals... first up Ami."

Ami looked nervous at being placed in the spot light but she gathered her strength and spoke.

"I want to become a shinobi because of Senju Tsunade and also not because of her, I have followed her career since I could read, she is the foremost expert in medical jutsu, but she is also a rogue, I haven't heard anything new about her since after the third war, where she just disappeared, I know she's not dead because if she was everyone would know, it just seems that she gave up because of something and I want to be better then that, I want to be stronger then her and a better shinobi."

Tenzo smiled at the determination that Ami showed, but she was also right, Tsunade-Hime disappeared and hasn't been heard from since.

"That is a good aspiration Ami... Fuzen?"

Fuzen was quiet for a while, Tenzo noticed that he was actually deep in thought.

"My dream is to become the greatest kenjutsu shinobi in the world, I'll make a name for myself, and when the time comes I will take the title from my biological mother and her husband and leave them with nothing."

Naruto was taken aback from the anger that Fuzen spoke with about his parents; Naruto had only heard pride and wonderment when a child spoke about their parents, so Naruto was not prepared for the hatred that came from Fuzen. Tenzo contained his anger at the boy's parents, Tenzo knew them and even worked with them, they were considered the pentacle of what a shinobi was, but this glaring defect they have is overlooked because of their track record, but to see the hatred that they had created in their child was deplorable.

"Direct and focused, even though that dream foreshadows a dangerous path for you I will make you strong enough to pursue it... Naruto?"

Naruto's stature straightened up and he conveyed the determination he felt.

"My dream is more of a task, I need to reach chūnin to receive a mission from the Hokage, after that I will push and become stronger so I can be Hokage."

Ami scoffed at the dream of Hokage, but soon found that she was the only one that did, it wasn't that she didn't believe Naruto couldn't reach the prestigious rank, but more so just the idea. Ami couldn't say that Naruto could or couldn't but nothing was stopping him.

"I have to tell you that the dreams you want are not easy to obtain, they are on a path of sacrifice and pain, if you can survive down those paths you can obtain those dreams, but you must understand what I am about to say, my role as your teacher is only until you all obtain the rank of chūnin, after that you have to become stronger on your own, I can help guide you, but I will be your equal."

All three of them nodded their heads in understanding, they knew that they had to become stronger if they wanted to reach their dreams, and Tenzo-sensei was just a part of their path.

"Now before you become chūnin, you are genin, and mind you I have expectations on what a genin is taught and should be able to do, and until you reach that level I will not advance you to the next level. First things first we are going to start jogging, we will stop at 12:15pm."

All three of them gaped at the long period of time, and looked at their sensei incredulously.

"You think I am joking, but I am not, on average a genin can travel long distances without breaks for 4 hours, I want you to last 6 hours, don't complain, that's what I want, but I am not cruel, I know that there is no way you all can make the entire six hours, so you will go as long as you can, and when you drop you can take a break."

All of them sighed and took place behind their sensei, he began to stretch and they followed suit.

"Try to match my speed enough so you can keep me in your sights."

They all looked confused until Tenzo bolted, they all gaped and no one moved, Naruto then grinned at the challenge and started to follow suit, keeping his speed at a steady level to keep Tenzo in sight. Fuzen not being one to back down took off like an arrow and was behind Naruto in moments. Ami was the only one that knew the truth, she would not be able to keep up with her teacher, but she wasn't going to give up before she started, Ami started to run and just kept Naruto in her sights.

Naruto smiled at the pace that he was keeping and just watched as he ran by people; Naruto noticed that Ami was not able to keep up with his and the others, and could already tell that she was having problems, so Naruto decided to slow his pace a little and kept the steady until Ami tired out.

Tenzo expected the reactions of his students, he never explained to them what a jog was, it didn't really mean a certain level of speed just a speed faster then walking, Tenzo had high hopes for this team and he wanted them to be prepared, Tenzo wasn't going to make this the pace when he left the village with them to go onto missions, but he wanted them to be able to last, Tenzo knew many mission failures were due to the shinobi making excellent time but once arrived they would be too physically exhausted and that made for an easy killing. Tenzo would explain to them tomorrow the real reason for the level of speed.

xxXXxxXXxx  
>Later<br>xxXXxxXXxx

Tenzo had keep his current pace for close to three hours and he was surprised to see that Ami had stayed as long as she did, though now she was tripping over herself due to exhaustion so he scaled down his speed and told the boys as they passed to keep their pace and to continue to run. Tenzo stopped his speed and walked back to Ami's position, Tenzo had decided to use the village gate as their jogging route and had them run beside it the entire time; Tenzo walked up to Ami and found that the girl had ran her legs into non-responsive. Tenzo smiled at his student and picked her up, and began to walk her somewhere.

"You did great Ami, but you should know I didn't want you to do this to yourself, you should have quit an hour ago."

Ami pouted at her sensei's lecturing and let him carry her to where ever. It turned out that the where ever was the hospital, Tenzo took her inside and a nurse stood up from her desk, and she directed Tenzo to a gurney and laid Ami down. Tenzo took the nurse off to the side and spoken with her, Ami had good enough hearing to listen in.

"It is possible that she has severed some tendons in her thigh and possible heat exhaustion."

The nurse nodded her head and made a note on the file she was making for Ami; Ami watched as Tenzo got closer and he smiled kindly at her and ruffled her head.

"You have nothing to prove by training yourself to medical damage, I am training all of you equally, don't think I will abandon you for not being able to keep up, you are different from the boys, know that I take that into consideration, missions are postponed until further notice, heal fast ok, and get some rest."

Ami hated to admit, but she did in fact think that Tenzo would leave her behind, Ami wasn't known to many, people tend to forget that she was even around, many people forgotten about her before, what made Tenzo-sensei any different; Ami knew what made Tenzo-sensei different though, she actually believed him.

xxXXxxXXxxXXxx

Naruto wasn't surprised that Ami had collapsed, he could see the signs even before Ami could, Naruto's mind backtracked to Kosuke's training and remembered that the key to a successful battle was watching the progression of the battle. Seconds later Naruto seemingly stumbled at being bumped into, he liked to see who had done it, and when he did he smiled.

Sasuke had a weird day today, yesterday his joūnin sensei, Kakashi had told them that they weren't even genins yet and that the teachers employed one last test for clarification, the test was different then he had experienced before. Sasuke and his teammates, Haruno Sakura and a recycled genin by the name of Sai, were told to take two bells from their teacher before the alarm clock rang, Sasuke knew something was amiss because this didn't seem like survival training he was told about, instead it was a battle for the right to become a genin, however regardless of who Sasuke believed he was, he was prone to battle, it was in his blood, and sufficed to say their individual efforts were crushed, only when the recycled genin suggest working together did they have a margin of a chance, and in the end the sensei, Hatake Kakashi, passed them but not before implying the importance of team work.

Once Sasuke was done recalling his story to Naruto, the two had caught up to Fuzen, however Fuzen was worse for ware; the pace that Tenzo set for them seemed to be too slow for Fuzen, and he had increased his pace staggeringly, Naruto and Sasuke had found Fuzen crawling on his stomach on the ground, it seemed the boy had gone extremely far if the drag marks proved anything. Naruto rushed up to the boy and tried to help him up but Fuzen reacted violently to Naruto's touch.

"DON'T TOUCH ME...! I HAVE TO GET STRONGER; I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THEIR SHADOW!"

Naruto was dumbfounded by Fuzen's words, the boy seemed really quiet and depressed before but now it was different.

Naruto and Sasuke were going to try again when they noticed the blood trail, it seemed that Fuzen's dragging had split open his fingers; when they were going to help they were stopped by the appearance of Tenzo, Sasuke was not aware of the mans identity but knew better to interfere with a joūnin. Tenzo arrived in time to stop the two from scaring Fuzen more then he already was, Tenzo knew that this type of behavior was not normal, but at this level of extreme was dangerous, Tenzo walked next to Fuzen's body and sharply jabbed a knuckle into the boy, the boy fell unconscious and Tenzo picked him up, and placed him on his shoulder.  
>Tenzo turned and motioned for Naruto to follow, Sasuke knew that this was a team matter and waved goodbye to Naruto and jogged away. Tenzo guided Naruto while carrying the unconscious Fuzen on his shoulders, Tenzo looked back to Naruto and saw that the boy was genuinely concerned for his teammates, a fact Tenzo connected to the boy's lonely upbringing.<p>

"Naruto remember... ambition can be a gift and a curse, Fuzen is trying to hard to become stronger and because his ambition is more then his body can handle, has resulted injury, and you saw what happened to Ami trying to keep up with you guys."

Naruto knew a message was being expressed to him, but he wasn't wise enough to understand it, so all he did was nod. The walk to the hospital was normal, but the pained looks that the populace would give Fuzen were confusing. Naruto knew that Fuzen's story had missing pieces in it, but the main one was, why did he feel that he had to prove something to his parents.

Naruto followed Tenzo-sensei to the hospital, annoyed that he just left this place yesterday. The hospital was grand in size, and was clean to the point of obsession, Naruto had been in the hospital three times, but was given the layout by his retainer Kosuke before ever going, the main floor was designed for patient service and customer service; information, new member service, and surgery were on the first floor, mostly for convenience, the second floor was doctor office and waiting rooms for patient with appointments, and the floor above that was ICU, this floor was for the people that have come from Surgery and need to heal, the last floor was for patient with a longer recovery.

The politics of the hospital were this, those that had a more life threatening condition were always looked at first, paperwork happened after treatment, but there were units on each floor for the shinobis of the village, not many shinobis had to worry about the accidents that happened to civilians because they were highly trained, meaning that when it came time for a shinobi to be treated they didn't have to wait like the civilians.

Naruto knew this from experience and at the current moment, Tenzo switched Fuzen position so he could carry Fuzen in both arms, Tenzo then passed the reception desk and walked straight to the stairs, and to the fourth floor. Naruto only guessed that Fuzen's condition was not severe enough for surgery but still needed treatment. Once the three arrived on the floor Tenzo took Fuzen to a room and placed him on the nearest bed; Naruto suspected that Tenzo knew the current occupant because he said he would be back to explain the situation and left the room. Naruto stood in the room and noticed that the occupant was Ami, and her legs were in a cast of sorts. Naruto grimaced at the sight, but Ami hid her head in shame.

Moments later Naruto had to move out of the way of the door because Tenzo-sensei returned with a doctor; the doctor went right to work and would leave on various occasions. The last time the doctor left Tenzo motioned for Naruto to come to him.

"It seems that people on our team do not understand moderation, and because of this has resulted in injuries that will take time to heal, for the mean time we will wait to hear the doctors prognosis and then make our decision from there."

Naruto nodded and sat in the nearest chair that was located near a window. Ami looked downtrodden and played with her hands. 45 minutes later the doctor was done with Fuzen treatment and spoke with Tenzo.

"The boy is in stable condition, he is currently unconscious due to exhaustion, and will remain that way, until tomorrow, his legs are fine, luckily his legs were condition for that type of strain and are in working order, the damage that needed the most work was his hands, the boy had scrapped off a decent amount of his skin and damaged his phalanges tendons, there is no risk to his shinobi career, they will just nee time to heal."

The doctor finished and Tenzo walked the doctor out, when he returned he closed the door to the room and sat on the remaining chair.

"Once Fuzen wakens we will have a discussion about your injuries and the reasons of their existence."

The tone that Tenzo spoke with was one of disappointment; Ami lowered her head in regret and turned away from the two that were in the room. Naruto winced at the tone and suspected that it was time that he left. Once he did Naruto realized that he had nowhere to go; Naruto just decided that he would walk around the village until it was time to go home.

Tenzo watched Naruto as he left, he would not be the one to tell Naruto that he had a look of pain on his face. Tenzo was not one to feel the pain of loneliness like Naruto, if Tenzo knew correctly Naruto didn't really have any friends, he had a rivalry with Uchiha Sasuke...

Tenzo train of thought was interrupted by the memory of a boy jogging with Naruto, that boy was in fact Sasuke, but his attitude and demeanor towards Naruto was not one of a person in a rivalry, but of friendship. Tenzo pondered on that for moments more, and made a note to carefully examine Sasuke and Naruto's interactions; Tenzo walked for moment still until he got to a door, Tenzo knocked softly, and a hoarse voice told him to enter.

Tenzo walked into the room to see an elderly man attached to a breathing apparatus, the stark white color of the face piece clashed against his skin, which was close to the color of red earth, the straps to the mask were bound across his head, and hair, which was a soft grey color. Tenzo's eyes looked at the man himself and found the man smiling at him, his eyes have always seemed closed to Tenzo, and with the smile, Tenzo felt warmth.

"Come in ANBU, it has been awhile since I have felt your presence."

Tenzo smiled softly and walked into the room and sat at the only chair in the room, the elderly man followed Tenzo until he sat down and then he turned towards the window.

"My only guess to why you have come to see me is because of Naruto?"

Tenzo nodded slowly and watched the man take a deep breath and cough harshly, Tenzo was about to move until he saw the man's hand halt him.

"50 years of training, and missions, and I am going to be done in by lung cancer."

The man laughed at his own joke, and shifted and moved in his bed to get in a better position. Once he was satisfied the man sighed in pleasure and looked at the man while sitting up.

"Now, what has Naruto done?"

Tenzo never knew the relationship Naruto had with his retainer, Kosuke Maruboshi, but from the man's tone alone it was one of similar familial feelings.

"Oh no...Naruto has done nothing wrong; I have been stationed as his Jounin sensei."

Kosuke listen and smiled and smacked his leg in glee.

"It seems the boy had finally made Genin, I wonder why he didn't tell me himself, maybe it's because my current state, what do you think ANBU-san?"

Tenzo was confused of the man's emotions and his reactions, these emotions were not of a man going to die soon, it was more like a man that was just hospitalized for a while and was waiting to be released.

"It's Tenzo, Kosuke-sama."

The man grunted with laughter, and shifted more to stretch his shoulders.

"I know who you are Tenzo, I may be a Genin in rank, but I have been given more access to secrets then most of the Hokage's advisers have...one piece of critique, not many shinobi reach my age, but there are people that have been around since the Shodaime's time, and the power he exuded was palpable, you should try to hone in that kekkai genkai."

Tenzo was slightly shocked by the man's words, he knew that there were not that many people around from that time, the ones that were, were already privy to his condition, but to hear it thrown in his face made his attempts at trying to control his kekkai genkai more embarrassing.

"Now that we have broken the ice, what was it that you needed from me regarding Naruto?"

Tenzo was so enveloped in his thoughts that his question on Naruto had disappeared from his mind, Tenzo righted himself and looked at Kosuke deeply.

"From my surveillance of Naruto, it seems that Naruto has developed a destructive philosophy of himself, I am aware that he is knowledgeable about his burden, but why would he do something so damaging?"

Tenzo's emotions became apparent as he talked to Kosuke, it was something that Kosuke picked up on fairly quickly, Kosuke sighed at hearing an individual confirm that Naruto still was enveloped in that philosophy of his and pained him to know that the boy think so little of himself.

"To answer your question Tenzo, Naruto believes he deserves it; Naruto is fully conscious that his philosophy is destructive, but ironically it is also life altering. Naruto was not always like this, I told Naruto when he was 4 years old that the Kyubi was sealed within him, mind you Naruto didn't understand what the meant, seeing how Naruto was not surrounded by people that had been affected by the Kyubi. At first Naruto took on the role as the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi as a honored duty, and you could not tell him other wise, however I felt that Naruto's prided himself in the Jinchuriki's curse to highly, so I took him to other villages with Jinchuriki. I was able to convince Naruto that his status was a village secret and if he told anyone about it he would be considered a traitor of the village...I then had to tell him what a traitor meant..."

Kosuke chuckled at the memory, and Tenzo smiled as well.

"We went to Kirigakure first, we stayed until information of a Jinchuriki was mentioned, what Naruto discovered was not appealing to him, he learned that Jinchuriki's were hated because of what was sealed within them, Naruto even learned from an elderly couple that even some believe that they were the demons themselves. We traveled to every village that had a Jinchuriki, except Iwa, for security reasons. Naruto's pride was diminished, but I wanted him to realize one thing, not everyone will accept him for his courage and sacrifice. Then came the question I never really wanted to answer. 'Did I take him out of the village because he was the Jinchuriki?' When I answered him, he ran away and I was not able to find him for two days. When I did Naruto was not the same, I don't know what Naruto thought the reason for of living out of his village was, but what I said must have changed his ideas. He asked me what his life would be like when he returned, and I told him the truth, I didn't know, it could be this or that, I just told him to be open to whatever happens..."

Kosuke took a pause in his story and took a drink of his water, he grunted and sighed when he had trouble pulling the apparatus away from his face, and sighed in content when the water was swallowed.

"When Naruto was six, I took him to a small village, recently I had started to train him in the Academy curriculum, I wanted him to be prepared just in case someone tried to sabotage his schooling, and we needed to purchase kunai and shuriken, it was there that Naruto met a traveling doctor and his assistant, Shinno and Amaru. When they first met Amaru had taken to dressing like a male for some reason, and Naruto accidentally mistaken her for a boy, it seemed that Amaru was not trying to hide the fact that she was a girl and hated Naruto for suspecting that she was a he. Naruto told me that he tried to make up for it, taking her to places that girls like, only to find that the girl hated all those things, Naruto said he tried everything and it wasn't until Naruto said he was going to train that Amaru become interested. Amaru was like a lost puppy when she learned that Naruto was a shinobi in training, and hounded him about all the information he had on his village. Naruto only knew so much, but it was enough for the girl, regrettably because of Naruto and Amaru's blossoming friendship, I didn't catch the warning signs of her sensei, Shinno."

Kosuke sighed a little and asked Tenzo to leave for a moment, Tenzo was surprised by the abrupt departure but discovered that a nurse was coming into the room. When the nurse said it was time to change his catheter, Tenzo was quick to leave the room. Once he did leave he closed the door quickly, a few minutes go by and the nurse walks out with a giant blush on her face, stuttering the whole time.

"Yyyouuuu, can ggooo in noowwww."

Tenzo did not understand the woman's reaction until he put the piece together what the catheter was for. Tenzo walked into the room trying to look at everything else except Kosuke, Kosuke chuckled and laughed at Tenzo's actions and told him to sit down.

"You would think the nursing staff would tell the other nurses of my gift. They also shouldn't use me as a hazing ritual."

Kosuke noticed how uncomfortable Tenzo got and laughed a bark-like laugh. The laughter disappeared and Kosuke remembered where he left off at.

"Shinno was a very powerful doctor, a genius to innovated procedures, one of them was a seal that absorbed ambient chakra and let him siphon off of it for medical jutsus. During the time that we were there a patient died of chakra poisoning, Shinno investigated everything, then he discovered that the chakra that he used for the surgery was poisonous to humans, now you are probably wondering how could a seal absorb something that would poison humans, what Shinno did not mention, and what I discovered was that, Amaru, his assistant had the seal placed on her body, he used the girl as a conduit for chakra, whenever he ran low during a procedure. He was able to uncover Naruto's status, and became obsessed with the power. He wanted to recreate Naruto's power, never knowing the risk he was taking, Shinno... tried to create a bijuu."

Tenzo was shocked still with that information, from what he had learn bijuus were dangerous being with destructive power.

"Why would he want to do that?"

Kosuke sighed in depression and looked out the window, time had gone by quicker then he thought.

"Shinno was a doctor first and foremost, and he had acquired immense skill in fuin. Shinno had learned that Naruto was a walking chakra battery, if Naruto ever ran out of chakra; the seal would convert Kyubi's chakra into Naruto's chakra. Shinno saw the potential in having a person that was over loaded with chakra, and if he had the immense chakra that Naruto had he could siphon the chakra off to heal and save many lives, Shinno intentions may have been ideal, but his plan was not. Shinno tweaked the seal on Amaru and sent her on errand to a neighboring village; she never knew that she was absorbing the chakra from every living being in the village. Once she returned she was captured and imprisoned for her role in the villager's deaths, she never learned that her sensei was the reason. It would be a few days later that she was released into my custody, I was ordered to bring her back to Konoha for testing and interrogation and if the result were nefarious, she would be executed. It seemed Naruto had gleaned this information somehow because he went to set her free. Naruto told me what happened before I arrived; Shinno was extracting the chakra that Amaru had absorbed. What Shinno didn't tell her was that he had tied the chakra to her's, and by extracting the chakra he would kill her, Naruto heard Shinno say this to Amaru and... he...he was overtook with great anger, and he tapped into the Kyubi's chakra. Naruto doesn't remember what happened after that, but I made it in time, he battled Shinno, the man was powerful to handle Naruto, but he wasn't as fast. Naruto kicked the man into a wall and went to stab him with his hand...somehow Amaru had gained enough will power to throw herself in front of Naruto's strike, and Naruto struck Amaru and Shinno..."

Kosuke had begun to choke up during his story; the pauses in the story were times when he had tried to hold back the pain.

"Naruto never told me what Amaru whispered in his ear, but I saw what the after math was... Naruto began saying that the villagers were right in their anger and hatred, and if it helped them he would take it all so they could live a life free of that hatred and pain. Naruto believes that the pain he feels is justified, and is willing to deal with it...Naruto doesn't understand the Will of Fire, if he did, he would know that he could gain strength and the villagers respect a different way."

Tenzo watched as Kosuke spoke his last word, sadly there was no way in guessing how Naruto would react to an apposing philosophy like the Will of Fire; and it was those thoughts that sadden Tenzo.

"Tenzo show him the care that I haven't been able to give him, the last we spoke, he held Iruka-sama in high regards, Naruto needs bonds with this village, if he doesn't there is no telling what could result from it."

Tenzo watched Kosuke start to cough and left when the elderly man shooed him away. Tenzo's last thoughts were of how was he going to show Naruto care.

xxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxx

AUTHOR'S NOTE

xxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxx

Some of you might read this and think that Fuzen's and Ami's are a little extreme, and might blast me for them, first let me ask you something, are you the child from the result of a rape?... Your probably not, and do you live in a community where people know about you and your family, again probably not. I write on experience from a friend of mine that is the son of a woman that was raped and resulting emotions from it. Mostly the story is parallel with my friends, but you will never know who he is and you don't know me but, it goes like this, a woman that has been raped is the victim, you here it in news stories, you hear about it in social media networks, you know it to be true; now picture this, you soon come to discover that the woman is pregnant from the attacker; many scenarios popped in your head.

What do you do about the child? Some of you have personal beliefs, but for the sake of the story the woman is married. A woman in that situation is embarrassed and distraught from the information, what do you do, you can hide the truth, lie, destroy the fetus, or tell the truth, what would you do?

Now Fuzen is the result from a rape, and in a village that is so close-knit things tend to happen, depending on how the parents react and respond to the information, it can go anywhere. But in Fuzen's life he is on the receiving end of many different emotional responses, in the village the civilians view him in many different ways. One he is the representation of a horrible tragedy and is a harmful reminder to that event, and people hate him for it, others view him of the son of one of the Twin Maru Blades, and he should be respected, and the others are the ones that see a boy that is victimized and he has done nothing, and see him as a victim himself.

Now remember he is an _11_ years old, as adults we can rationalize our feelings and emotions, but children are taught how to do that by their parents/guardians. Him having an obsession on being stronger, and being put in a situation where someone is teaching to be stronger, his overindulgence in the training is a normal reaction.

Ami is simple, she is an under trained person, and she believes herself to be weaker then her teammates and wishes to reach them in strength, overdoing it is normal.

_~In the Next Chapter~_

Training (sort of) will begin in the next chapter; many times I have seen writers not flesh out the camaraderie and thrust the team into missions and extensive training. My response to that is that if you look at the military, you train extensively with a unit until you are combat ready then you do missions, and during that time you are train to cohesiveness and close to perfection, the same will be in this story, but it will not be drawn out.


	4. What a change would do

Naruto stood outside the room of his teammates, mostly he was thinking about his teammates and their current predicament and how they got there. The day before Naruto chose not to think about it, generally because it was none of his business, but during his walk around the village, they kept popping in his head. To tell the truth he had no idea what was going on, Ami was sort of explain to him, she felt weak and did too much, but Fuzen...Naruto knows that some information had not reached him regarding Fuzen, and there was a high probability that Ami knew what it was. Regardless Naruto's curiosity he knew one simple truth, what ever had pushed Fuzen to hospitalization was not something you ask questions about, Naruto understood if he never knew the truth, and he would not push for it.  
>Naruto took a deep breath and open the door to the hospital room, the room only had two beds and a single door to the room's bath room, the room was located on the corner of the building, so it had windows on two sides of the room. One of the curtains were open and small amount of light filtered through, this was because the window with the curtain open wasn't facing the sun. The bed that was nearest the window was his teammates', Ami.<br>Ami heard the door open to the room and saw that it was Naruto entering, his appearance caused Ami to bristle slightly, but she remembered what happened two days ago, and how Naruto was an outcast, and it seemed that his heir status was just for show. Ami watches as Naruto takes the only chair in the room and slide up to Ami's bed. It was at this moment that Ami noticed that Naruto was caring a bag of sorts.  
>"I know that the hospitals foods are kind of bland, so I brought you and Fuzen some lunch...has he woken yet?"<br>Ami appreciated the gesture from Naruto and thanked him, yet when she heard his inquiry about Fuzen she felt a little ashamed.  
>"I don't really know, I have been trying to think what I would say to Tenzo-sensei about my actions."<br>Naruto understood and got out of his seat and walked around to Fuzen's bed, Fuzen was positioned lying up, but Naruto saw that his eyes were still closed and his breathing was the same rhythm, Naruto sighed softly and walked back.  
>Ami looked up when Naruto returned and saw him shake his head.<br>"Well I guess that's okay, he really did a number on his fingers, Naruto can you tell me what happened?"  
>Naruto paused in the sandwich that he brought for himself and finished swallowing, after he was done, he told Ami the scene that Sasuke and him walked on. Ami cringed at the description and looked at the bed that was positioned on the other side of the curtain that separated them.<br>The peace that had arrived was destroyed by the loud racket that was the door of the room being kicked in. Naruto rushed into position at the foot of the bed, only to find that he was uncomfortable; the scene in front of him was Fuzen's face was buried in sexually stimulating breasts. Naruto was not one to guess a woman's size but they looked to be about a "D", however you took it those breasts were covered slightly by a chunin vest that was opened to show a burgundy, V-Cut sweater, that had the sleeve rolled to the elbow, and loose fitting pants that had binding on both the right and left thighs and on the binding was holsters, what was in them...? What was Naruto a fucking mind reader now? The face of the woman was buried in Fuzen's hair, but once she did come up from air, Naruto was smitten by first glance, the woman had a pristine angled face, smooth with no sign of wear or tear, no bumps from cartilage or bone, and she had the most beautiful honey brown eyes, covering her eyes were seeing glasses, and her hair was a soft blonde color that was mid length and pulled into a pony-tail bun. Naruto continued to watch the scene until the woman noticed she had an audience and just looked at Naruto with a kind smile.  
>"Oh! I didn't know Fuzen-chan here had company, it's nice to meet you, I am Maru Haruka- I'm Fuzen's older sister."<br>Naruto looked from Haruka to Fuzen, Fuzen to Haruka; Naruto did this two more times until something clicked in his head.  
>"Well let me introduce myself, I am Uzumaki Naruto, and the other person behind the curtain is Wasari Ami."<br>Naruto gestured to the curtain, which was moved quickly and Ami poked her head out.  
>"It's nice to meet you...Naruto! You are interrupting something between family, get behind the curtain!"<br>Naruto paused to look at Ami and then at the siblings, Naruto for the life of him did not understand what Ami was talking about, Fuzen was unconscious so there was no way he was interrupting an interaction when it was one sided.  
>"What are you talking about Ami, Fuzen's out like a rock?"<br>Naruto pointed to Fuzen, Ami however never looked, Naruto suspected that there was a social norm that he was not understanding because, Ami was giving him a look that meant immense pain if he didn't do what she said.  
>'Uh...no, I think I will stay out of arms reach from you, because either way, if I actually do what you say you'll hit me anyway.'<br>Naruto just acted distant and looked back at the siblings.  
>Haruka had like watching the two interact with each other, Haruka could understand Naruto plight at not being able to read a situation based on his upbringing, she found it hilarious that the boy had a empty face when it came to Ami's demand, but Haruka expected that Naruto understood what he was doing and was acting his age. Haruka noticed that the both of them were looking at her and she turned her head in confusion.<br>'Why are they just looking at me like that...shit did I space out again?'  
>Haruka shook her head and smiled at the both of them.<br>"So I take it that you are Fuzen-chan's teammates?"  
>Naruto was about to agree until he heard the sickly sweet tone that she held, something innate in his body told him not to say anything and play dumb. Naruto looked at Ami and he saw that she had a wicked grin on her face when she looked at him. Naruto saw this and quickly shook his head; Ami just nodded her head in a slow motion and looked at Haruka with a sweet smile.<br>"Yes we are, and I am sorry that we were not able to make it to your dinner request, I was stuck here in the hospital with Fuzen, but I think Naruto had a lot of free time."  
>Haruka turned her face at Naruto and Naruto could swear that the woman had a dark aura surrounding her.<br>'SNITCH!'  
>Naruto looked at all the possible exits and found that if he did leave he would be more guilty.<br>"I would think that it would be improper to arrive at someone's home without the hosts sibling, and seeing how I have never been to your dwelling, I would find it hard to be there... when I do not know where you live."  
>Haruka's dark aura disappeared in a matter of moments, and Naruto sighed deeply.<br>'HAH! Jokes on you Ami. Thank you etiquette lesson.' In Naruto's mind a little chibi version of himself was flipping Ami the bird.  
>Haruka smiled at the both of them and found it a little annoying that her brother hadn't flipped out yet with his face in her cleavage. She was impressed by his determination to feign unconsciousness, but he needed to be punished.<br>"Well as soon as I go release Fuzen into my care, we should have a lunch together."  
>Haruka smirked in victory when she felt her brother twitch. Naruto saw the smirk but didn't understand it; Naruto cringed when he thought that the stereotype for blondes were true, because this girl thought her brother was awake, never once realizing that siblings knew everything about each other.<br>"How can you release him into your care, when he is unconscious?"  
>Naruto saw the looks of embarrassment on both Haruka's and Ami's face when he said this, Naruto didn't understand what he said could make them feel embarrassed.<br>"Oh, you poor baby..."  
>When she said this Naruto had to swallow something.<br>"When I say released in my care, it means that I am a doctor... actually I am a Chunin Field Medic, but luckily I have my credential to be a doctor...sorry off topic, I am full licensed to take care of my brother, and he is not unconscious, his is just faking, because he wants me to leave."  
>Both Naruto and Ami stared at Fuzen, but whatever his sister caught they weren't able to.<br>"Yeah I know, it's really hard to see but he's awake, you just have to push him."  
>Haruka laid next to her brother and wrapped him in her arms.<br>"Normally at nights that I don't have a following shift the next day; little Fuzen's crawls into bed with me."  
>Naruto looked at Fuzen and smiled quickly when he saw the faintest movements; Ami on the other hand didn't look at Fuzen but more at Haruka.<br>"That seems to be a little bit intimate don't you think?"  
>Haruka smiled at Ami's question and shook her head.<br>"Fuzen may be my little brother, but he is more like my son; our parents... our mom, decided that she wasn't going to take care of him once he was born, and they were going to give him up for adoption, and seeing how I just became a Medical Chunin, I was making enough money to take care of him, so for him, I took the place of our mother, I really did everything for him, especially when he was a baby, I developed a jutsu to produce breast milk in woman and he used to suckle my..."  
>Naruto and Ami never noticed a person move so fast before, but in a mater of seconds, Fuzen moved from his sister's grip grabbed a pillow and silenced her before she gave any more embarrassing details. Fuzen looked at Naruto and Ami and nodded at them.<br>"How's it going guys, could you give me a moment, I have to smother my sister."  
>Naruto and Ami nodded at Fuzen, both still shocked at current revelations and moved behind the curtain. What Naruto and Ami heard next made it hard for them to not laugh.<br>"Ahh is little Fuzzy embarrassed that he used to be breast fed by his sister..."  
>"DIE!"<br>Naruto and Ami heard something impact with another, and guessed that it was Fuzen hitting his sister with the pillow.  
>Naruto and Ami heard Haruka laughing.<br>"Or how bout I tell them the time you got really confused and developed a crush on your own sister..."  
>"I was six, your not as pretty as the other girls my age... in fact you're ugly."<br>Naruto grimaced at that but knew better to expect that hurt Haruka's feeling.  
>"So what, that Ami girl is prettier then me?"<br>Ami paused and waited to hear the response, she didn't like Fuzen that way, but it was always nice to be called pretty.  
>"Your damn right...wait...? You fucking suck."<br>Naruto and Haruka laughed, while Ami blushed slightly at the confirmation.  
>"Well how about the time that I had to teach you what changes were happening to your body, the erections you get when you see pretty gi..."<br>Naruto and Ami paused when there was deep silence and a rush of wind passed them and the sound of broken glass happened behind them. Naruto and Ami quickly turned to see Haruka falling backwards towards the ground. Both of them saw Haruka wink at them as she fell and in a feat of skill she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Naruto snickered at what transgressed in front of them.  
>"That was awesome."<br>All Ami could do was nod in agreement, and look behind them; standing behind them breathing really hard was Fuzen...with a sword?  
>'Where the hell did he get that sword, it wasn't on him when he was brought in, maybe Haruka brought it in for him.'<br>Naruto finally looked behind him and saw that Fuzen had began to point his sword at the two of them.  
>"Everything that you heard today...You're never going to repeat it, right?"<br>Naruto and Ami knew that shinobis were crazy, and an embarrassed shinobi should not be trifled with. Ami and Naruto nodded in agreement; Fuzen smiled in happiness and sat on his bed, the others went back to what they were doing too.  
>A clearing of the throat caught their attention and they looked at the doorway, Tenzo was standing there with a tripod looking thing and a large pad of paper.<br>"Why did a woman just jump out of the window?"  
>The look on Tenzo's face made Naruto and Ami snicker, seeing how they only thought he had one expression, blank.<br>"A crazy woman suddenly came in here and was pawing at me. You should have her barred from coming into the hospital if she is going to molest children."  
>Tenzo stilled in his thoughts and just shrugged at the suggestion, and walked into the room and set his equipment down and set it up.<br>"Today was supposed to be practical theory training, but seeing how the both of you have hospitalized yourself that will have to be placed on hold... speaking of that, whatever reason you pushed yourselves to that extreme, is forbidden. Fuzen I understand your reasoning, but true strength is amassed in time, no one ever got strong immediately, and if they did there was titanic repercussions afterwards. There are no short cuts to true strength and if I ever hear that you have gone against my orders, I will have you put in front of the Hokage for disciplinary review and I will suggest expulsion from the shinobi program."  
>Naruto watched as Fuzen and Ami became awashed with depression and regret, they nodded slowly and got into position in front of their beds.<br>"Also...Naruto after we are done with the lesson you are to go see the Hokage, he wishes to speak to you about something."  
>Naruto became confused, he had done nothing wrong recently and normally he only spoke to Kosuke about important things...Naruto shook his head and started to pay attention.<br>"You are genin, this fact you know but there are things that you have to know about your position and where it stands in the village."  
>Tenzo began to write things on the board, he wrote near the bottom and began writing all the way up.<br>"At the bottom of the shinobi hierarchy is you, genin. You are the beginners, the novices, the grunts, in war time you are the cannon fodder."  
>All of them grimaced at that truth.<br>"As you are you take orders from your superiors, those are chunin, jounin, and the Kage. Now when it comes to priority of your orders is this, the Kage's order are highest priority, nothing else matters, you listen to him or her and you never question it."  
>Tenzo stopped at his board when he felt a hand go into the air.<br>"Yes?"  
>"Is this review because we already know this?"<br>Tenzo heard the voice and knew it was Ami, he kept himself facing forward and just let Ami become uncomfortable with the silence.  
>"No it is not, it is a new lesson...now...when you are out in the field, you are doing a mission, mission varies, but there is one simple truth for missions, they have to be completed. Missions are the cornerstone of the villages economy and they are very important, regardless of what rank they are...I will answer your question about rank soon..."<br>Ami lowered her hand and felt embarrassed that her sensei knew it was her without turning around.  
>"With a mission, its completion is lauded higher then the lives of the team itself, yet there is a problem to this policy, Konoha sees the life of those involved in the mission as just as important. So when you are in your career you might come to a choice; it is possible that during a mission your teammate can be captured or are in danger, the shinobi law expect you to complete the mission regardless of what has happened with your teammate; when this happens the choices are only two. You sacrifice your teammate to complete the mission or your help your teammate and sacrifice the mission...your decision, regardless should always be your, teammate."<br>All three of them were confused, Tenzo stressed at how important missions were and then tells them to choose the life of a teammate over the mission, they could understand but they still couldn't reason it.  
>"I understand that you are confused so let me explain, the village believes in one philosophy, the Will of Fire, this philosophy is a belief that once you have something that is precious to you, you become that much stronger to protect it, something precious can be anything you want, it is that reason that the Hokage is so strong, he believes everyone is precious to him, so he is that strong to protect them. A teammate should be just as precious to you as anything else, in the words of my taicho, those that break the rules are scum, but those that abandon friends are worse then scum."<br>Those words seemed to have struck a cord in all other genins. Fuzen thought of his sister, and even though she was a pain he would go to the ends of the world to protect her; for Ami it was a little different, she wanted the world to see that woman can be strong and she wanted girls to look up to her, to aspire to be her, Ami wanted to protect that. For Naruto it was simple, Kosuke, he had already heard about the Will of Fire, but for some reason it just didn't fit with him, he needed to be the person that people bore there hate at, if he had things that were precious they would bare his burden, Naruto knew he was being a hypocrite, he was willing to let his teammates bare the hate that comes with being his teammate, but he also didn't want them to. Naruto in truth didn't know what was precious to him, he was just a confused boy.  
>"Try an adapt that philosophy in your life, I know it will be hard, but in time you will understand...now the ranking system for missions, E-Rank missions, these missions are far and few in between, they do not appear as much as people expect, but the reason that there a E-Rank missions are that these missions cannot be used to teach genin the lifestyle of a shinobi, and cannot be seen as anything similar to a higher ranking mission. D-Ranks, are the opposite of E-Rank but are on the same level, D-Ranks are used to train genin into the missions that will come later, Jounin sensei's use the D-Rank as mock missions. Also, D-rank mission are done as a team, however if you are given anytime off or are needing of money, you can take E-Rank missions yourself. C-Rank, are guaranteed missions, they can be anywhere from destroying a bandit hideout, to a courier mission. Normally chunin are the ones that do these predominately, and when a Jounin teacher believes their teams are well equipped for a C-Rank. B-Ranks are for teams of chunin only and Jounin, A-Rank are for Jounin only, there is S-Rank, but those are more geared about politics, and have no real impact on your career. Understand this all missions are brought to the village by people needing help, sometimes the information that is given to us is incomplete or wrong, and there could be times where a C-Rank mission jumps to A-Rank in difficulty. For a time, I will have you only doing D-Rank missions, and if I feel you are excelling in a part of mission, I will get you a C-Rank equivalent, understood?"<br>All three of them nodded and quickly refocused their attention as Tenzo-sensei was writing more down.  
>"Next is the basic structure for a genin team... to whoever rose their hand, the structure of a team changes as the individuals progress in their desired field of study... where was I...? Oh yes... The basic structure of a genin team is this. Long-range shinobi, Mid-range, and Close-range, these ranges are a form of combat that shinobi teams fall in both in battle and team movement. Close-range is exactly as it sounds, that shinobi is up close and personal to the apex of battle, and fights toe-to-toe, Mid-range is a little tricky, this shinobi provides protect and support for both the Close-range and Long-range shinobi, and is crucial at making sure the team lives. Now the meat and potatoes, the best I must say seeing how I am biased, is Long-range. This shinobi provides support, pure, non-confused help; in the heat of battle a Long-range shinobi can take up the assault of a Close-range to give them a reprieve and to catch there breath. We however will not be able to find out your combat role until you are released from the hospital. After this Naruto you can go."<br>Naruto nodded and leaned more into his chair, Naruto found Tenzo's application and teaching of the material a little more personal seeing how, the last time they heard this it was from a Chunin that hadn't seen any frontline combat for a good time.  
>"Each combat role has their designated place, in battle and out of battle. In transporting any object, whether it be person or inorganic material, the key thing is that the object is surrounded. When transporting something the more experienced shinobi takes the south position, to watch over the cargo and their comrades, the Long-range shinobi takes point for their skills at detection and timing, very important, for any reason the south shinobi does not alert you the north point shinobi will..."<br>Tenzo had drawn make shift figures on map points around the object, which was literally the word object, on the figure at the south point he wrote experienced nin, and in the case he parenthesized joūnin; the figure at the north point was given the same but his parenthesized word was long range.  
>"The nins at the west and east points are the mid and close range shinobis, they can be interchanged, they are the combat orientated to handle pincer attacks... however this is only one of movement forms, the others have a more complex structure."<br>This form of teaching would go on for another hour, once Naruto had clearance to leave he did. Yet while he was gone the other members of his team talked or clarified to be more accurate. Fuzen expected that something was going to come, as Tenzo-sensei had asked Ami to leave the room. Ami was quick to respond and left in a hurry, her quick departure made Fuzen grimace. Fuzen watched Tenzo and waited for him to speak and as time continued on, it became apparent that Fuzen held Tenzo's words and thought more heavily then any other before.  
>"My status as former ANBU grants me access and privilege to highly classified documents and Intel. As the record states among the villagers and shinobi community not granted access to know, your mother was raped by an attacker while on a mission; yet to those that know, we know that little story is a lie. What you have neglected to tell those that know... like your sister. Is that you are the result of a failed mission, your mother was given a mission to enter one of three potential enemy targets and gather Intel on a possible attack, from what we know your mother failed to accomplish her mission. Those that knew of her failure were required to keep quiet, yet she had to explain the new baby that she had conceived."<br>Fuzen reigned in his anger, the reason was Tenzo knew he knew this already and it seemed that he was putting on a show for someone else.  
>"I can understand your pain Fuzen, but it doesn't mean I know it by experience, I am willing to help you become stronger, but you have to be the one that wants to take it slow, but for now you have some explaining to do."<br>Fuzen could only guess what Tenzo meant, but Fuzen ultimately knew once Tenzo left the room, because when Tenzo opened the door Fuzen saw that his sister was behind the door, and she had a look of pain on her face. Fuzen would have cursed Tenzo if Tenzo didn't do this so well.

xxXXxxXXxxXXxx

Naruto's pace to the Hokage's office was a steady speed, the reason was he had no idea why the Hokage wanted to see him. Naruto lamented on their relationship and knew that it was more of a younger clansman speaking with his leader. Deep down Naruto respected the man more then that, the Hokage was the reason his life was as pleasant as it was, Naruto could only imagine what his life would be like if the village only knew that he was the Kyūbi's Jinchūriki. Naruto's pondering was cut short by the chakra presence of the chūnin guard at the door, Naruto nodded at the man and walked in. Naruto knew that the Hokage was located on the second floor, but he wasn't in such a hurry to meet the man that held control over him and the village.  
>Naruto stopped abruptly when a figure in a dark robe had appeared in Naruto's peripheral vision, Naruto nodded at the figure as he began walking side by side with him.<br>"Good morning Advisor Shimura."  
>The smile that was adorning the man's face was one that Naruto could never figure if it was genuine or not, Naruto knew of Shimura Danzo from Kosuke, and he knew that the man held almost equal power to the Hokage.<br>"As well to you Uzumaki-san, I take it your tutelage under Tenzo-san, is bearing fruit?"  
>Naruto was also told that the man in front of him was the expert espionage agent, and many of his scars were results from clandestine operations for Konoha's prosperity.<br>"Soon, my teammates were over-enthusiastic and injured themselves, but this is just small talk, I take it you have request for me."  
>Danzo smiled genuinely at the boy, needless to say Danzo truly found Naruto a decent shinobi for his ad and rank, and if the boy wasn't such a public figure he would make a request for the boy to join his operation. Yet with word of the boy's aspiration he had no qualms or any doubt of his acquiring said office.<br>"I am aware of your apprehension to use your families fūinjutsu Uzumaki-san, however a recent problem has occurred and your expertise is wanted."  
>Naruto heard the word expertise and he glared at the older man, Naruto had made it clear that his use of fūinjutsu would bring about complications for Konoha, something he was quite adamant on not doing. Yet the way Shimura-sama voiced it, it appeared that if Naruto did not it would also cause complications. It didn't occur to Naruto that Danzo might have been using Naruto's love for Konoha against him.<br>"I will talk with Hokage-sama to offer my services. Have a great day Advisor Shimura."  
>Naruto moved quickly up the stairs to reach his meeting, Danzo watched Naruto critically. That boy wasn't aware of the potential he held, his potential that an old war hawk like him wished to cultivate. As Danzo thought more about it the entire team had potential if not equal to Naruto.<br>'Hmm, maybe I should give them a little breathing room from those negative sources.'  
>Danzo chuckled to himself as he walked away.<p>

xxXXxxXXxxXXxx

Naruto stood outside the Hokage's office, shuffling with anxiety. Naruto hoping to calm his nerves start to look at his surroundings; Naruto did notice a significant difference, and that was that the secretary that was normally posted outside the office was absent, in fact the entire desk was gone. Naruto looked for any evidence as to how long but the evidence was absent. Naruto did notice however an increase in chūnin posted around the entrance to the office.  
>"Uzumaki? The Hokage will see you now."<br>Naruto nodded and thanked the chūnin and walked into the office, the Hokage was sitting behind the desk waiting for Naruto it seemed. Naruto crossed the room quickly and sat down; Naruto felt the Hokage's eyes on him and it made him nervous.  
>"Let me quell your apprehension Naruto-kun, you are not in trouble, this is a clarification of sorts."<br>Naruto nodded and he relaxed visibly, something that the Hokage appreciated. The Hokage motioned to Naruto to speak and Naruto straightened himself up.  
>"I just ran into Advisor Shimura down stairs and stated that my fūin skill set is in of use?"<br>Naruto watched the Hokage mull something over before he opened a drawer and pulled out a folder and passed it to Naruto, when Naruto opened it his mind seemed to click with the material in the folder.  
>"What you are looking at is Konoha's current defensive sealing matrix, you should be aware by now that the details of what it does seems to "pop" to you. This is because the bulk of that sealing matrix was created by your mother."<br>Naruto's mind began picturing what the seal did, that's what tended to happen when Naruto looked at seals. Naruto pictured an entire barrier surrounding Konoha, it seemed that it was used as a first defense warning system, it was designed if an enemy nin were to enter from any places other then the main gates, their exact entrance would be and their trajectory.  
>"Your mother was one of many supervising specialist for the Konoha Barrier team. This system has been in use for 17 years, however that in itself is the problem, during those 17 years our most lethal nuke-nins, my student and lauded shinobi genius, Orochimaru, and former ANBU-Captain, Uchiha Itachi, have taken with them precious village secrets, one of the being holes in your mothers barrier; what I am asking from you Naruto-kun, is a patch for those holes, or something else entirely."<br>Naruto's impression of his mother only grew as he looked over the formula that she had concocted; the formula integrated what was already present for defense and just added onto it, but she was insightful to understand that what she created was not impenetrable, and left an open path for another to add to the formula. Naruto looked at the formula and pictured what he could add that wouldn't have to be changed again; Naruto's mind sped through all the formulas he could add but his mind kept following onto two.  
>"Well the main problem is that those two know those holes, and an extensive search to find those holes would take to long, what I can add is a chakra recognition algorithm, and chakra location algorithm. The chakra recognition algorithm can be added to the barrier seal that lets you recognize and store individual chakra signatures, and once I tie it with the chakra location algorithm it will use those stored signatures as a beacon which can be located whenever, can if there is ever a state of emergency I can set it up so only you and another person can use it."<br>The Hokage listened to Naruto and even though he didn't show it he was glowering with pride; the Hokage reminisced of another stating that such a thing was possible but it would take a type of imagination that she didn't have. It was poetic irony that the woman that though of just a seal was this boys mother.  
>"As wonderful as that sounds Naruto, how is it going to help us prevent Itachi's and Orochimaru's re-entry?"<br>Naruto scanned his mind again to see if he had a solution and luckily one did emerge.  
>"I can make the algorithm remember specific signatures, and tie in a warning alert proxy, meaning if anyone of those nuke-nin enter the village, the barrier will tag their chakra and track it with 90% accuracy."<br>The Hokage clapped once in glee and barked in laughter.  
>"It's true the younger generation will always be stronger then the last... Naruto, I want you to take that copy of the seal and thoroughly create those algorithms, but remember no one is supposed to know that you are doing this... especially Shimura Danzo. If he approaches you again about this inform him that I was not able to procure you clearance... but as great as this conversation was it was not the point of our meeting, the point has to deal with Konohamaru."<p>

Naruto's paused for a moment once the Hokage finished speaking, what could have happened with Konohamaru that Naruto was involved with, Konohamaru was very safety cautious with any information and Naruto never told him anything.

"I was proud to hear that my grandson had found a friend in you Naruto, I was also proud that for the first time since his tutoring with Ebisu he began to take his studies seriously, yet although that I am proud of your relationship with my grandson, others are not…"

Naruto was glad of Konohamaru's efforts to take his studies seriously, and felt ecstatic that that Konohamaru considered him a friend, but the Hokage's vague sentence was making worry build in Naruto.

"Two days ago, Konohamaru returns home from school and goes straight to his room, my daughter-in-law and I, only see him at dinner time, it is there that we notice that Konohamaru is trying to hide a black eye with his mother's concealor. And when we pressed him as to why he has a black eye, he tells me that he got in a fight with someone that burned the scroll he received from you, and again at break this morning I was called upon to handle Konohamaru's temper seeing how he assaulted a classmate, can you explain to me why Konohamaru has been in these fights Naruto?"

Naruto for once was at a loss for words, he could understand Konohamaru's aggression towards someone that destroyed a personal item, but to out rightly assault a classmate was beyond him, however at the moment Naruto didn't trust his own words and just shook his head at the Hokage's question.

"It's because Naruto, he was defending your honor."

Naruto lost his voice once the Hokage was done, Naruto was baffled at the actions of Konohamaru; the only person that had ever defended his honor, to Naruto's knowledge was Kosuke.

"What happened?" Naruto's voice broke as he asked his question.

The Hokage understood Naruto's perplexity, Naruto was a sheltered individual, but again he was alone because of the bitterness of his villagers, Naruto probably didn't understand the emotion he was currently feeling.

"It happened at first break, since discovering his wound I have been watching Konohamaru's interactions with his classmates, and I have found something interesting. Naruto it seems your name has been flittering around the younger students; your participation of the death of Mizuki has reached the ears of Konohamaru's classmates, something that has given them a hero. However, it seems that one of the student's parents caught wind of the admiration that the students have for you and have been whispering their hate to their children. Some of the students have changed their opinion of you, and those that haven't; they have kept their awe of you to themselves, but… Konohamaru announces it, that you are his hero and that they are wrong about you. It seems though the bully's were not able to stomach Konohamaru's bravado, and they waited until the right time and burned the scroll you gave to Konohamaru."

Naruto bristled at the actions of Konohamaru's bullies; Naruto found his emotions suffocating him in regards to the other students that think him a hero, their hero. Naruto couldn't understand this emotion that he was feeling, but maybe Kosuke would know.

"Yet today it seems that the students have found more fuel to Konohamaru's fire and they began to taunt him, it appears that one of the students parents have disclosed that you had taken the scroll from the vault, and they have started to call you a traitor… this was the point where Konohamaru retaliated quite furiously. The reason why I have asked you here Naruto is because I want you to resolve this potential problem with Konohamaru and your reputation, if many people learn of this fractured truth, I would find it hard to give you the clearance to help the village. But more importantly I want you to show the people what happens when someone harms the people you care for."

Naruto understood that reputation was the cornerstone of the shinobi way, as an example the Bingo Book, the criminal actions of a Nuke-nin gives them the reputation that can help them live, like the fourth Hokage, because of his use of the Hiraishin no jutsu, he was given a flee on sight order, however any retaliation that Naruto does reacts badly with his philosophy.

"As much as I want to help Hokage, if I act with an aggressive manner it would…"

Naruto jumped in surprise when the Hokage punched his fist through his desk, Naruto cowered in fear as he looked at the Hokage's eyes, and Naruto felt shame due to the Hokage looking at him with disappointment.

"ENOUGH! Your philosophy Naruto, as you put it, is a mock to myself and the shinobi in the village…do you not think that I see the pain that you experience when the people I am sworn to protect, reject you at a fundamental level? Why do you think that Kosuke has lived for as long as he has? He chose to protect you with his life, and order I gave him! That's what makes him a shinobi! Sacrifice! People grow so much stronger when they are willing to sacrifice themselves for those the care for. My own grandson defends your honor because he cares for you and because of it the students can have pride in their awe of you! Are you worthy to receive that awe Naruto?"

Naruto could see the regret that the Hokage spoke with as he cut into Naruto, it only clicked now that the Hokage must have been holding this back, and when Naruto selfishly thought that his philosophy matter against Konohamaru's safety broke something in the Hokage.

'_I want to protect them all, but am I truly protecting them by letting them to continuously revel in their hatred of me, no the true question is why should I care? Those that feel hatred for me, they haven't come to terms with their own grief, yet I feel compelled to let their hatred grow because I feel it would help them. No I need a new philosophy, a new nindo, to protect those that care for me, and those that will care for me._'

The Hokage silently cursed his explosion; regardless of how Naruto reacts he shouldn't have snapped at him.

'_You must repair this Hiruzen; Naruto is a damaged child, regardless if he is one of your soldiers. I fear that a psych evaluation on Naruto might have to be a necessity soon. This outlook on his life is not something that is safe for a shinobi; especially a class shinobi of Naruto will become, but is it too late._'

Hiruzen watched as Naruto took a couple of steadying breaths and nodded at something.

"What would you have me do, Hokage-sama?"

Hiruzen stood still, his position had already changed from punching his fist through the desk, the question Naruto asked was more from an experienced shinobi ready to risk his life, but Hiruzen knew better regarding Naruto. Naruto was ready because he made up his mind, however Hiruzen knew a total philosophical shift like Naruto was propositioning was a hard road. Yet knowing that Naruto was prepared, somewhat for that was just what he needed.

"The stigma that you are afflicted with as the Kyubi's Jinchuriki will never disappear, it might fade away or it might be coveted in the future, however we have to make people see that you are not just the Jinchuriki. What I'm about to ask you Naruto will be hard for you but please bare it. Your mother was a highly respected shinobi due to her mastery and skill with fuin jutsu, a skill that I am aware you are almost equal to her with. Your fear of the Uzumaki Clans enemies destroying Konohagakure is appreciated yet sadly the Uzumaki clan is down to one member, and it will take many generations for the Uzumaki clan to be feared as they were. Your skills Naruto could help Konoha for the betterment of its future, what I am asking Naruto is give shinobi's young and old to take up the art, do not let it die. The younger generation considers you a hero; give them something that to aspire to."

Naruto's fear was justified, but to have the Hokage correct you and your fear was embarrassing. Maybe Naruto inflated his role and his mother as fuin users, the Hokage was right that the Uzumaki _clan _was feared for their fuin but Naruto was the only one left. The Hokage was also right that fuin was a shinobi tool, and sadly Naruto knew that its practition was dying out; Naruto could help his village grow in strength and for a future Hokage that was important.

"It will be done."

Naruto bowed to the Hokage and walked out with determination burning through his whole body. The Hokage smiled fondly at Naruto and sighed as he stared at his desk, annoyance sifting through his body.

"CHUNIN GET ME A NEW DESK I HAVE SOMETHING INTERESTING TO WATCH!"

xxXXxxXXxxXXxx

Naruto walked out the back entrance of the Administration building and straight for the clan house of the Sarutobi's. When Naruto pasted the wall he turned to the left to a small house near the clan wall, Naruto swiftly entered the house and moved to a spot in the living room, Naruto crouched down on the floor and moved a floor board. Naruto looked into the darkness and steadied his nerves; he reached into the hole and pulled out a rectangular pouch with a tan flap. Naruto fasten the pouch on his belt and walked out of the house and towards the Academy attached to the administration building. Naruto could hear the loud voices of the first year students, but he could also hear the tell tale signs of a fight currently in progress.

Naruto closed his eyes and steeled his nerves; Naruto unclasped the flap on his pouch and fished out a rectangular sheet of paper. Naruto also brushed his thumb against a metal piece on the pouch which had a sharp enough corner that it cut into Naruto's thumb; Naruto felt the cut and quickly moved his chakra to his thumb and to the paper. Reacting to the chakra, the blood moved in a controlled motion, the blood traveled around on the paper with precision and speed, Naruto focused on the chakra until he knew it was done. On the paper was a character of some sort on the center of the paper, and surrounding that symbol was a circular pattern made up of a different symbol, four lines branched out of the circular pattern and at the ends of each line were different symbols. Once the chakra left the paper and the blood the patterns dried, and Naruto did this once more, the last one was a different pattern all together. A symbol was in the center but this time line patterns branched form around the symbol, at the end of these lines were symbols that appeared on the other sheets of paper.

Naruto grunted at how long that took.

'_20 seconds, that is too long, I have let my skill rust._'

Naruto turned around the corner of the yard and come to find a cluster of parents blocking the entrance to the yard, Naruto grunted in annoyance and looked beyond them to see that Konohamaru was currently in a fight of sorts. Naruto highly doubted that the fight was fair seeing how there were three other boys surrounding him; Naruto looked at the parents, who appeared to be all males pressuring the fight to continue. Naruto, having enough of the display of public assault, vaulted over the mass of parents and landed in between Konohamaru and a very nasty looking right backward spin kick. Naruto caught the speedy foot and pushed the kid away before performing a spinning side kick; the kick connected against the young student's diaphragm and sent him traveling a few feet away.

Naruto's appearance riled some of the parents up, but it was the parent of the kid that Naruto kid that felt the most anger.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing? My kid and the Hokage's grandson were just having a friendly spar."

Naruto looked at the parent with disgust and turned to Konohamaru. Naruto rubbed Ko's back as Ko regained enough strength to stand on his own. Naruto turned to face the parents that were slowly advancing towards his position.

"If you could call a public beating a friendly spar, don't say anything else stupid like that."

The father growled at the insult but knew better to try anything, with the Uzumaki demon arriving so did his ANBU protection detail.

"I am here because it became apparent that Konohamaru here was defending my honor, and it seems that one of the parents here have been spreading a very nasty rumor that seems to put into question my allegiance to my village?"

The small movements that the father's were making came to halt once Naruto said this; it became a law that anyone falsely accusing another of treason would be executed, and even though those that spread it hated Naruto, they loved their life better.

"A serious allegation like treason is taken seriously, however my allegiance to Konoha has never been in question, and seeing how that rumor of the cause of my treason, is fact-less and unfounded. Yet those that have committed this crime have forced the Hokage's hand and have made apparent a need for a full disclosure of my involvement with the traitor Mizuki, but that is not why I am here, no I am here on behalf of the Hokage."

The father's of the boys that were beating up on Konohamaru began to try to slow edge themselves out of the crowd, but the sudden arrival of chunins behind the group made it impossible for their escape.

"I have to admire the loyalty that you kids have to listen to your father's and beat the Hokage's grandson, but… Sarutobi Konohamaru is still the Hokage's grandson, and the Hokage asks that I handle the punishment of those children involved, which I agreed, because Konohamaru is someone I care about dearly, and I will not allow people to bring harm to those I care about."

Konohamaru fumbled slightly, mostly this was due to Naruto slapping the back of his neck for some reason. Konohamaru was able to regain his balance quickly enough to see Naruto dart from his sight and moments later the kids involved with his beatings, fell to the ground. Naruto appeared next to Konohamaru and stood straight, Naruto moved his hands into a seal of the ram.

"Fuin."

A sharp bright light appeared from the base of all the boys' necks and all the boys screamed in surprise. Konohamaru looked from behind his eyelids to find the boys on the ground whining and groaning, and everyone looked at Naruto to explain what had just happened.

"What you just witness was the activation of a seal."

The shinobi father's in the crowd eyes widen at the word, and many other of the father's were not aware of what was going on and just waited with apprehension.

"For those that don't understand what a seal is… a seal is a chakra powered formula that once applied it will perform whatever the seal formula is designed for. To explain, the seals that I have placed on the children on the ground are proximity chakra siphoners. What proximity chakra siphoners are, is a seal designed that if any of the seals that are placed on the back of the children's neck come within a certain range of the primary seal, which I have applied to Konohamaru, it will siphon the charka within their bodies and release it into the environment, essentially if those that have harmed Konohamaru get to close, the seal will weaken you to a drastic level."

Naruto had simplified it to a level that the students around them could understand, but also for the parents to understand how far Naruto was willing to go to protect those he cared about. Many shinobi's present in the crowd felt a rise in respect for Naruto; the fathers of the bullies on the other hand rushed to their children's side and held them.

"NOO WAIT TAKE THE SEAL OFF."

Naruto looked at the parents as they cared for their children and Naruto felt a stab of jealousy and hatred, but Naruto pushed that aside and looked at them with a warning in his eyes.

"I was ordered by the Hokage to handle this situation. If you want the seal off, you are going to have to take it to him, but you should think how forgiving the Hokage will feel for the parents that allowed their sons to beat up his grandson."

The parents started to breathe excessively and fast as the fear of their Hokage's anger would be. Naruto looked all around him and found that the students that were around were looking at him with that awe that the Hokage talked about, and Naruto felt a little bit lighter because of it.

"You take care Konohamaru, and if you can't handle a situation just come get me, I'll help."

Naruto nodded at Konohamaru, who was looking up at Naruto and smiling. Naruto ruffled Konohamaru's hair in response and leaped away from the area, after he did Konohamaru was bum rushed by his fellow students that were exclaiming how lucky Konohamaru was to have someone that awesome care about him.

This was the scene that Hiruzen looked down on from his window; Hiruzen felt great pride at the step that Naruto took, and the resulting actions from that step. Hiruzen stayed in his prideful state until he felt a chakra presence behind him, something that made Hiruzen's demeanor change into one of seriousness.

"Report"

Hiruzen waited until he heard the person move from his salute.

"It's about Orochimaru, Hokage-sama."

xxXXxxXXxxXXxx

A week later…

xxXXxxXXxxXXxx

Yakushi Kabuto was a misguided soul, a lost individual that obtain his strength to discover who he was. It was because of this that Kabuto began working under Orochimaru, a man that held such strength and intelligence. Kabuto was attracted to those that have power; however even though Kabuto hungered for power he was extremely loyal. Kabuto's loyalty to Orochimaru was never in question , mostly because Orochimaru had helped Kabuto find an identity for himself, Kabuto assumed the identity as Orochimaru's right-hand man. A position that Kabuto cherished immensely, Kabuto was Orochimaru's confidant by choice. The reason being was that Orochimaru saved him from a life of hollowness and gave him a purpose.

For Kabuto pleasing Orochimaru was the most important thing for him, and he loathed those and himself if he had to give his master negative news. It was this reason that Kabuto's mood was immensely dark, a feeling that the prisoners in the cells on both sides of him sensed and moved to the far wall of their cells, so they are not on the receiving end of his anger.

The path that Kabuto walked was a long one; his feet brushed against the dirt floor and kicked up dust. The ambient light came from wall mounted torches, which moved with the wind in the hall, and caused the light to flicker. Kabuto's eyes traveled to the prisoners in the cells, Kabuto's eyes quickly scanning the inmates for any trauma that he or Orochimaru would have to heal, but he found none. Kabuto's did notice the state of the inmates clothing and found it appalling, their light grey short sleeved shirts and shorts were in tatters. Kabuto made a reminder to ask Orochimaru to give the inmates new clothing.

Kabuto paused in his gait and thought about his recent thought.

'_Is clothing that important for these specimens? Well…if we appear compliant of their basic needs they would be less likely to rebel when it is time for the experiments._'

Kabuto smiled at his understanding and continued his walk; his walk however came to an end when the end of the hall came closer. At the end of the hall was a door of sorts that Kabuto pushed against, once the door opened Kabuto found a gruesome sight. Inside the room, which was a laboratory of sorts, was his master Orochimaru standing over a male man on the metal examination table. All around Orochimaru was beakers of glass, and tubes holding some forms of liquid, the shelves beyond Orochimaru in Kabuto's sight, were stocked will glass jars of body parts and other things. Orochimaru turned his head to see the guest to his dissections.

"Ahh, Kabuto you caught me in the middle of something, give me a little more time."

Kabuto nodded and watched and waited, Orochimaru grinned and turned his head. Kabuto took Orochimaru's state of dress in, and noticed the lab coat that was buttoned tightly. Orochimaru's hair was tied into a pony, and tucked into the collar of the coat, and on his hands were white medical gloves, which the band was covering the sleeve of his coat. Kabuto watched as Orochimaru, using a scalpel, cut into the flesh and the muscular tissue of the man.

"Inmate 4412, I am going to explain what I am doing? You are the holder of a wonderful Kekkai Genkai, you know this already though, but what you don't know is what it does at the fundamental level. Mind you in the beginning I was just fishing in your body."

Orochimaru turned his scalpel quickly and illicit a loud cry from his specimen.

"But now I am an expert on the mechanics of your Kekkai Genkai, sadly your Kekkai Genkai doesn't have a name, and it would be juvenile of me to name it but let me tell you what your Kekkai Genkai. Your Kekkai Genkai converts your muscle fibrous cells, the Myofilaments, into a make shift metal, the metal is made up of iron, carbon, manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten, on a side note this chemical make up is identical to steel, but from the biopsy of your pectoralis major, I discovered that the metal that your muscles convert to is not steel, but has more tensile strength then steel. It's incredibly fascinating. Sadly your Kekkai Genkai has proved incompatible with any of the other test specimens, and as insightful your make up was…"

Orochimaru plunged the scalpel into the beating heart of his specimens open chest cavity, Orochimaru sighed and pulled his gloves off and threw them at the corpse.

"It's sad isn't it Kabuto, when a discovery can not be used to better the human race?"

Orochimaru walked away from the table and out a door left of Kabuto's position, Kabuto's eyes lingered on the corpse before he walked over to it and pulled out a scroll of sorts, Kabuto then laid the scroll now fully extended onto the corpse and flashed through hand seals. Once Kabuto finished the hand seals a cloud of smoke erupted around the corpse and when the cloud dispersed the corpse had disappeared. Kabuto followed his master's path out the room and moved around the corridors that were present outside the door. A minute after Kabuto left the laboratory Kabuto appeared in a large room of sorts, steps were in the middle of the room which at the top of the room was a throne of sorts, with the wood frame of the chair designed as snakes. Sitting on throne was Orochimaru redressed in his light tan long sleeve shirt, with a black skin tight unitard underneath. The shirt was longer then others and past the waist and stopped short of Orochimaru's knees, the shirt was split at the sides and had rounded edges. Tied around his waist was a large purple rope.

"Now that I am free, tell me what you have learned Kabuto?"

Kabuto kneeled in front of Orochimaru and kept his head down as he began to speak.

"I discovered that our councilman in Kusagakure has been murdered by his spouse, the shinobi of the village state that our councilman was a serial adulterer, and he had slipped up and his wife discovered the truth and murder him. Suspecting that this was too convenient I conducted my own investigation all appeared legitimate except of how the wife discovered the affairs."

Orochimaru mulled the information over, and his mind quickly settled into espionage, but Kabuto not finding any evidence of the wife's discovery troubled him, but as long as he has been a shinobi just because they could not find how the wife discovered the affair didn't accurately confirm deceit.

"As troubling as that sound Kabuto, sometimes a wife discovers affairs because one of the mistress informs her. I find we will not be able to discover the "who" though, but the death of our councilman is not that pressing, if only you didn't receive the information I requested."

Kabuto nodded from his prone position and slid the scroll he had produced from his back pouch and rolled it to his master.

"The roster of the Kusa teams scheduled to appear at the Chunin Exams."

Orochimaru moved slightly off his chair and elongated his tongue to pick up the scroll, and moved back, he opened the scroll and read the names of the team members.

"Another thing, I was able to procure the Konoha Rookie roster."

Orochimaru smiled hungrily at Kabuto's words and watched with focused attention on the rolling scroll. Orochimaru actually picked the scroll up this time with his own hand and ripped into the scroll with ecstasy. Orochimaru poured over the list and smiled a disturbing smile.

"So Hatake Kakashi has taken a team, Sasuke's team to be exact; what a delicious turn of events. With Kakashi's expert use of the Sharingan, at the time of Sasuke's capture it will have matured to a wonderful level…however who is this Sai person?"

Orochimaru stared at the name Sai with suspicion and distaste, Kabuto groaned angrily at the news he was about to give his master, news that could have harmful repercussion.

"This Sai individual is a Ne (Root) shinobi."

Kabuto felt the anger spike from his master and he used all his strength to stay still.

"So Danzo feels that he has to keep a close eye on Sasuke does he? This could be problematic, with the plan in play, Danzo could order Sasuke's assassination before he arrives here- Kabuto is there something else… you shook horribly at the mention of the plan?"

Kabuto cursed his body's betrayal and took a steadying breath.

"The plan you conceived was based on Sasuke's hatred and bitterness towards his brother for his clan's decimation, however it appears that Sasuke's mother is on life support, and is guarded 24/7 by ANBU…"

Orochimaru chuckled at Kabuto's worry and moved beside his ward.

"A living relative will only compel Sasuke to obtain more strength, with the treat of Itachi resurgence, and my offer of strength, Sasuke will leap at the chance. Angry boys always try to find quick ways for strength."

Orochimaru chuckled slightly before he noticed that Kabuto was not laughing, but he seemed more distraught.

"There is more?"

Kabuto nodded and leveled his breathing.

"Sasuke is currently in a friendship with the Uzumaki heir, and the anger and hatred that you postulated that Sasuke would feel towards his brother is…absent."

Orochimaru let Kabuto go and strolled back to his chair and stared off into space.

"So the Kyubi Jinchuriki has a bond with Sasuke, and if I know that accursed boy's mother, the Jinchuriki and Sasuke have a brotherly bond…what can you tell me about the Jinchuriki?"

Kabuto could hear the aggravation in his master's voice and only wished to alleviate it.

"Uzumaki Naruto was taken from Konoha when he was born by a Maruboshi Kosuke, the both of them returned from their expedition four years ago. Once they returned Kosuke became Naruto's retainer and guardian, incidentally Naruto must have been informed of his status, because the boy has developed a destructive personality, he feels that the villager's anger towards him is justified and he lets them hate him and injure him. Recently the boy has showed his skill in fūinjutsu, and that he will punish anyone that hurts the people he cares for."

Orochimaru began planning as soon as he heard more about the Jinchuriki; Orochimaru would have to think of something to break the bonds that Sasuke and the Kyubi Jinchuriki had created. Suddenly Orochimaru was struck with a plan, an evil plan but one that would do the trick.

"I was not prepared to plan for the possibility of Sasuke's bond with a friend, but the Jinchuriki has made our plans moot, however if we were able to break the two apart it would give me enough room to implant the suggestion. Kabuto when you are free again, return to Kusa and inform Karin that she has a mission, tell her that she is going to help destroy a friendship."

Kabuto bowed deeply to his master and stood up and walked away, he was stopped before he got to the door by his master's voice.

"Is there anything else?"

Kabuto thought slightly and turned to his master.

"One of our carriers, the merchant vendor we use for Konoha was killed a week ago by bandits. His death was confirmed by our mole in Kumo, his possessions were taken by the bandits. Is there a reason to be concerned?"

In another reality, if Naruto never was publically named the Uzumaki heir, Orochimaru wouldn't have been compelled to use the only other known Uzumaki to destroy Sasuke's friendship with the Jinchuriki, to give him the chance to convince Sasuke to come to him. It was because of the thousands of scenarios that could happen in Orochimaru's mind, and how he loved the results of Karin's involvement brought, did Orochimaru neglect that this carrier was holding key piece of information regarding his secret invasion. And not once did he imagine that Ne shinobi would find the corpse and recognize him, and take the information to their handler in the Hokage's office.

"That is moot currently, I have no fear that anyone would be able to decipher my code Kabuto, return to Konoha and prepare."


	5. Team Training

Team 2, internally known as Team Tenzo, were standing before their sensei; the team had been official for two weeks currently, but due to eager individuals, two members of the team were laid up in the hospital for a week. Tenzo looked over his students with a critical eye and weighed every movement they made; Tenzo already formulated the possible team structure based on individual skills. Was it ethical? Maybe. Did he care? No. Tenzo knew from Fuzen's stance and the sword on his back that Fuzen was a sword enthusiast; however that didn't mean that he was trained properly, in fact Tenzo could guess that due to the boys stigma, no one really took the time to train him. Ami on the other hand was basic; Tenzo however was not going to make that a negative, basics killed. That being said because she was an open invitation for innovation of skills it, would be more difficult to train her. Naruto on the other hand was trained previously by what the shinobi considers the oldest genin in history; however the rank did not reflect the power, skill and wisdom that was Maruboshi Kosuke. The man was a living legend himself, a man older then their Hokage, and trained by the Shodaime and Nidaime just like the Hokage.

This bared the question in Tenzo's mind just how strong was Naruto. If recent rumors were true, Naruto personally defended the Hokage's grandson with the use of fuinjutsu, and the fuin department was unable to unravel his seal. That showed a high level of proficiency, but also a high level of planning and structure.

With these questions in his mind, he went to the one person that was an expert on the Uzumaki, and what Kosuke had to say was not what Tenzo expected…

xxXXxxXXxx

Two Days before…

xxXXxxXXxx

Tenzo stood beside Kosuke as he wheeled himself in his wheelchair to a spot underneath a Sakura Tree in the courtyard of the hospital, Tenzo noticed as the man took in a deep breath before a fit of coughing ended his enjoyment.

"These Sakura Tree's fragrance are worth the pain… now what brings you back ANBU?"

Tenzo paused slightly before he decided to speak, still unnerved that the man could sense him.

"Kosuke-sama my presence is in regards to Naruto and his current skill level."

Kosuke chuckled slightly before he was wracked with his persistent cough.

"Chunin."

Tenzo understood the meaning of the word and its placement in the conversation, but for the purposes of training Naruto he needed clarification, and as though Kosuke could read minds he began to speak.

"I understand ANBU… I need to tell you a story, it starts when Naruto was four and we had just started our travels to the other villages. Many shinobi elders were concerned that my taking Naruto out of the village was too much of an ample opportunity for foreign villages, however luckily for me, my bingo picture is of my younger self, when I was first obtained the rank of genin, this clerical error let Naruto's and myself, unimpeded. It was on our journeys to Kusa where everything changed for Naruto and me. You must understand something ANBU before I continue, I have always had lung cancer, this was as a result of my failed genin mission. The enemy nins that attacked my team acquired a rare fungal that grows in the land around Kusa, it has a nasty mortality rate, yet one side effect no one knew was that if you lived through it, the poison would stimulate the growth of the cancerous cells already present in our bodies. It caused my cancer, however on our journey Naruto accidentally disturbed a hornet's nest of missing nin. These missing nin retaliated, and I was forced to dispatch them, sadly these missing nin were black market suppliers and one of their wares was the fungal that caused my cancer. The last nin performed a kamikaze and exploded using the fungal as a chemical weapon. To protect Naruto I gave him our only re-breather, and I was left in the cloud of fungus. My cancer returned, and because of the potency of the fungal, no medical aid will return it to remission… for this Naruto blames himself, the remainder of our journey was visiting villages, but also trying to find a cure or remedy for my cancer."

Tenzo sighed deeply once Kosuke finished what he had to say; Tenzo understood a little more of the mindset of his Jinchuriki student.

"So when you say chunin?"

Kosuke looked at the hospitalized children play in the same garden as the two of them and smiled at memories past.

"Naruto has taken it upon himself to find Senju Tsunade. The year before we returned we spent that entire time looking for Tsunade, Tsunade is the only medic in the world that has the skills to cure me of my cancer, and Naruto finds it an insult to Konoha and the Hokage that she did not returned when she was asked. So Naruto hoping to keep me alive trained himself to reach the level of Chunin so when the time came for the Chunin Exams there would be no doubts in his skill, that it is his right to be a chunin."

Tenzo moved his jaw in concentration and nodded and thanked Kosuke for his time and knowledge.

xxXXxxXXxx

Present Day

xxXXxxXXxx

Tenzo suspected that Naruto has only been using the strength necessary to pass and no more because there was no point, Tenzo took it with personal pride that Naruto was so dedicated and determined that he brought his strength up, but oddly that didn't reflect the boys fragile mental state.

Tenzo took some time to try and formulate what he could, but he could only guess until he had the facts in front of him.

"First we spar, you three against me, once I have seen what I need I will stop you and give you adjustments to your fighting, you will make these adjustment, if not this probationary period that I have you under will end quickly."

Tenzo watched all three of them nod, and Tenzo waited for them to get ready, and even more time for their energy to peak, once it did he began.

"Begin."

Tenzo had to pivot to the right as Fuzen had closed the space between them with high level genin speed and thrust his sword.

'_So he has the speed to close the gap in fighting… that is a boon for Kenjtusu users._'

Tenzo kicked the boy away and slid his arm into a guard as a fist aiming for his exposed ribs, made contacted. Tenzo flexed his forearm flexor muscles to mitigate the strength they received. Tenzo wasn't surprised by the hit being from Naruto, but he was surprised that using the distraction, Fuzen slashed, neglecting to incorporate Naruto's presence. Naruto already aware of the imminent danger was able to grab onto Tenzo and flip over him and place his feet on his back and push the jounin towards the strike. Tenzo was impressed that Naruto was able to adjust to account for Fuzen's disregard for his safety. Tenzo targeted his focus on Fuzen and saw that the boy was proud of himself, but Tenzo was disappointed, Fuzen's strike had made contact but it wasn't on his intended target, but at the last minute Tenzo replaced himself with a log with the kawarmii no jutsu; and with the resulting confusion caused by the maneuver Tenzo appeared behind Fuzen, however Tenzo was not able to capitalize on Fuzen's neglect, because three shuriken aimed for his head appeared on Tenzo's senses.

Tenzo ducked the necessary inches needed to let the shuriken clear overhead, but it was those inches that the last member of Team 2 capitalized on. Ami not being as physical fit as her teammates used surprising cunning to create an imbalance in Tenzo's stance and attacked. She kicked the ground into a spinning side kick that made contact with Tenzo's arm guard; Ami was able to escape the projected limb lock by filling the space that Tenzo was in with shuriken and kunai. Tenzo moved out of the way, however his eyes widen a fraction with worry when he saw Fuzen focusing in on the sound of battle behind that he spun with his sword in hand. The spin was at a greater speed that Ami appeared to be able to dodge and in those fractions of seconds she placed her arms up to guard against the strike. The strike, however did not connect, because those seconds that Ami put her guard up, Naruto moved in front of the path of the strike and grabbed Ami, and in a stroke of genius, Naruto used a modified kawarmii that replaced himself and Ami with logs. Tenzo let the fight die down as he saw the force behind Fuzen's slash, as both log were cut in the middle with ease.

Tenzo was impressed by the strength but was aggravated by the negligence the Fuzen had displayed, yet Tenzo was not as upset as others would be, Tenzo saw an opportunity to help Fuzen adapt to individual combat to group combat.

"That's enough, it might not have been long but it was ideal for what I needed. Fuzen first and foremost, you need to concentrate your attacks for the presence of your teammates. You were lucky that Naruto is skilled enough in taijutsu to adapt to the battle, if not you would have skewered both him and Ami. Before we get into the next spar in a few I will be giving you a bokken for team battles, once you three are capable of fighting with a sword in play will you be able to use your own sword. Naruto, good job on handling those situations with Fuzen, it seems that you have a higher degree of skill in taijutsu then I initially thought. You were able to adapt to all the moments in that spar. Ami you were the one that brought the most surprise, knowing that you are limited on strength you used cunning and planning to the spar, creating yourself an advantage and exploiting it. With this new information I want you three to try a new formation. Fuzen you will be the close range fighter, Naruto you will be the middle and Ami you will be the long, you should already know your roles from the lecture you received while in the hospital, put it to use. Begin."

Tenzo threw a wooden bokken at Fuzen, who caught it and put in place on his person, this time though Fuzen didn't charge in first, Tenzo speculated that the boy was physically taxed from the first spar and was taking a breather until he was back in fighting shape. Ami was the one that took the first strike, she threw a volley of shuriken that aimed at Tenzo, Tenzo lamented on the lack of ingenuity and moved to the left, that however was all part of the plan it seemed, Tenzo moved to the left because the shuriken did in fact move to his position but Tenzo moved accordingly to the directional path of the shuriken, Ami was at least skilled to make the shuriken arc when the inertia the shuriken were afflicted with slowed and the wind made them move slightly to the right, and it was never smart to dodge into a volley of shuriken so he moved to the left, and into the path of Naruto it seemed.

Naruto leaped into a flying knee that cut the space in between Tenzo and Naruto in a speed that Tenzo was not prepared for, the knee made contact with Tenzo's chest, but Tenzo moved his body with the blow and once Tenzo was ready he lashed out with an axe kick, a kick with enough strength to leave a impression in the ground. Naruto kept his eyes on Tenzo and was about to move but he heard Fuzen call out his name, Naruto looked back to see Fuzen already in striking range and leaped sideways off the bull charge Fuzen. Naruto with enough skill rolled off Fuzen's back as Fuzen swung his sword with both hands. Tenzo impressed with the flash of teamwork plucked the kunai that Ami had thrown once Naruto clear the space above Fuzen's head and which incidentally Tenzo's head was currently at.

Tenzo gripped the kunai and brought the kunai into the path of the sword. Tenzo saw that Fuzen struggled against him and parried the sword to Fuzen's right making the boy overextend and left him open for a counter. Yet just as Tenzo was about to strike a cloud of smoke appeared in his peripheral and he had to move his arm for fear of a break, the reason being was that Naruto had appeared from the smoke and struck his elbow against his knee, a loud metal clang entered Tenzo's ears, Tenzo frowned at the intended plan of Naruto's using the metal on his elbows and knees, Naruto was aiming to shatter Tenzo's arm. Tenzo was about to strike again, but Naruto's distraction gave Fuzen enough time to recover, and strike again. Tenzo playing a gambit and a hunch let Fuzen's strike reach him, and when the strike was close to hitting, Tenzo parried again.

Fuzen knowing that Tenzo found a weakness and was exploiting it Fuzen tried to back peddle, yet it was for nothing as Tenzo pressed his advantage. Tenzo's advancement on Fuzen was cut short by another displaced cloud of smoke that blocked his vision, and if it weren't for years of training he wouldn't have sensed the strike aimed for his open guard. Seeing the space that the strike was cutting through Tenzo was forced to use the kawarmii to continue to be unharmed.

Tenzo appeared in the trees surrounding their training field, Tenzo not wanting to risk the possibility that Naruto had trained his senses, stayed down wind from Naruto and stayed absolutely still. Tenzo went over the information that he had collected so far. Currently Fuzen is a novice with his sword, he was skilled with strikes, guards and stance changes, and was talented enough to adapt when something breaks through, however the glaring defect with the boy was his counter-defense and counter-offense. Fuzen had no understanding or skill of a parry or counter parry, however the boy was quick witted enough to know that Tenzo found a hole in his defense and initiated a retreat when he knew that Tenzo could exploit it. Ami had taken her role as long range support to heart. She wasted no effort in just spamming the field with kunai and shuriken and used her smarts with restricting Tenzo's movements, the only thing the girl needed was long range jutsus and she would excel.

Naruto however was a fresh reminder that no one was to be underestimated, the boy was highly proficient at taijutsu, but there was more the boy had master his strikes, the boy accounted for the needed strength to cause breakage, and would not exert more strength then necessary, and Tenzo knew that Naruto had taken to using kage bunshin as a deterrent. Tenzo was impressed that Naruto was skilled enough in the kage bunshin to create them and close an opening between teammate and enemy. Tenzo knew that the boy would develop incredible coordination with his bunshins; it was just a matter of practice.

Feeling that he gave his team enough breathing room Tenzo disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto had kept his senses open as soon as Tenzo-sensei disappeared, Naruto's mind raced through the possible scenarios that could happen, but Naruto needed to be reactive, due to his lack of knowledge of his sensei's abilities.

"Fuzen…are you alright?"

Fuzen's bronze hair had become saturated with sweat and his breathing was harder then normal.

"Tenzo-sensei keeps exploiting my lack of ability to parry, and each time he does that he is throwing the strength of my attack back at me. I can possibly attack a couple of more times but I think you should attack first and I will back you up."

Naruto agreed to the plan and looked at Ami who was in the same spot as Fuzen but her breathing was controlled.

"What about you Ami?"

Ami looked at the two boys and nodded faintly.

"I am averaging out on my throwing weapons, and I feel horrible that you two are taxing so much of your energy."

Naruto heard the shame in Ami's voice as she spoke, Naruto knew that Ami felt useless, but Naruto also knew that the girl had used any openings that Fuzen and him had made and kept Tenzo corralled in their range. Naruto's mind flashed with an idea of brilliance and pulled on a scroll on his back at his lumbar and forced his chakra into it. In two puffs of smoke giant foldable shuriken's appeared in Naruto's hands and large spools of wire. Naruto walked over to Ami and placed them in her hands.

"Here instead of just finding openings how about you trap Tenzo-sensei."

Ami looked at Naruto and quickly looked at the items given to her, Naruto saw on her face that she was thinking up a plan.

"Alright Fuzen I'll lead this time, try not using your sword, and we can press him together alright?"

Fuzen nodded and placed his bokken in its scabbard that Tenzo provided, as soon as he did though Tenzo appeared right between all of them and rushed Fuzen. Tenzo pressed Fuzen hard and performed a reverse low kick, knowing that Fuzen was going to dodge it, Tenzo's reverse low kick had positioned his body to account for Naruto's speedy arrival, however this time Naruto didn't leap through the air, no this time he rolled on the ground and tried to sweep Tenzo's feet. Suspecting Naruto was setting up an attack for Ami, he spun in the air like a corkscrew parallel to the ground. His suspicion paid off because as he was turning in the air he had seen a shuriken fly over head.

The force of Tenzo's turn moved his body right of his jump point and once he landed he had no time to even blink, this was because Fuzen had closed the gap between them quickly and landed an elbow strike to Tenzo's exposed ribs. Fuzen however did not celebrate his hit this time and ducked, Tenzo slightly concerned for the actions had to take immediate action seeing how two feet connected to Naruto and successfully landed a drop kick on his arm guard, sadly for Tenzo, Naruto placed more strength behind the attack and the man heard the tell-tale signs of a fracture on his ulna in his left arm. Tenzo stomached through the rising pain, and decided that the kids were coordinated enough to handle his current strength and decided to increase it.

Naruto's senses warned him of the danger that was about to come, but incidentally and shockingly to Naruto he wasn't able to react, a sudden burst of speed placed Tenzo inside Naruto's guard and a sharp blunt force to the boys diaphragm robbed him of the air in his lungs. Tenzo capitalized on Naruto's troubled breathing and spun around with a hook kick that connected behind Naruto's head, and using the full inertia of his spin brought Naruto's face and entire body to the ground. Tenzo not wasting a beat rolled from his position on top of Naruto next to Fuzen who began to pull out his bokken, but the draw was halted by Tenzo's hand on the hilt.

Fuzen looked up with fear at Tenzo, who was uncomfortably close to Fuzen's face. Fuzen flinched backwards, but his movement was halted by Tenzo's arm located underneath his chin and the sudden pull of his body closer to Tenzo's warned Fuzen of the impending strike. The knee that struck Fuzen's stomach was stronger then the previous hits Tenzo had used, before Fuzen fell unconscious, Fuzen laughed at himself at really believing that his sensei would be beat by three genin.

'_He only used a fraction of his strength._'

Tenzo however was quite concerned with Ami's participation in the spar, she had been throwing shuriken at him the entire spar however none of them came close enough to warrant any concern for him, but that changed when a fuuma shuriken appeared in his line of vision, Tenzo already annoyed with the girls lack of effort in the spar plucked the shuriken out of the air. Tenzo looked at her ready to end the spar when he noticed the way her fingers were positioned. Tenzo tossed the shuriken away but it appeared to be to late, the girl pulled her arms into a cross pattern in front of her and suddenly Tenzo's movements were halted and his arms and legs were pulled closer together to his frame. Tenzo scrutinized the area around him and smirked at the ingenious of his female member. Those simple shuriken throws were actually part of a wire trap; she had hidden her trap with shuriken throws that appeared to be half attempts of attacks. Tenzo internally congratulated the girl of her deception, but sadly a trap was a two part and with an overview of the wires found them non-charka conductive and there was no hidden explosive tags attached.

'_What was she hoping to do…damn_.'

The steel sword of Fuzen entered Tenzo's body, Tenzo looked down at the sword and saw his life blood dripping off the point, he also felt the object within his spine and just smirked at the skill that his team had. Slowly the color on Tenzo's skin started to fade and turned into an earthy brown color, even the color of his clothes had changed to the same color. Soon the entire body frame of Tenzo crumbled to a pile of dust. The entire team looked over to the sound of a twig breaking on the right and found their sensei arms crossed and a small smile adorned on his face.

"That was an excellent display of teamwork, however remember that the point of a group fight is for all the parties in the team to live, if this were to be a real battle, your trap Ami would have meant nothing, those strikes could be replaced with kill strikes and then you would have been left holding the bag, and a shinobi should always have an escape plan. A trapped shinobi would have one too."

The team nodded in understanding and slowly they started to breath sharply, the accumulated adrenaline that was pumping through their bodies was starting to wear off, Tenzo noticed the lag in their movements and reached into his pouch and threw them bars of some sorts.

"Take a break, and when its time we will continue training, after training we will break for lunch and after lunch we will do some missions, you three have shown enough teamwork that you have earned the right to do missions."

Ami cheered slightly and slumped to the ground, Naruto walked over to a nearby tree and sat down near the roots, and Fuzen on the other hand just sat down from where he stood. Tenzo looked over them as they rested and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Once Tenzo disappeared Naruto breathed a sigh of relief.

"Damn, I wasn't expecting sensei to increase the difficulty of the spar mid-fight, he took me by surprise."

Ami held herself a little bit in a higher confidence then the last because of her contribution in the capture of her sensei, but the one thing puzzled about that fight.

"What were we fighting…? Tenzo-sensei…? Or a clone of sorts?"

Ami looked at Fuzen to see if the boy had the answer, but all she noticed was that Fuzen had fallen asleep, she snickered slightly at her teammate but then looked at Naruto, she was kind of taken aback at the seriousness that the boy was holding.

"To answer your question Ami, Tezno-sensei used a Iwa Bunshin(1), we have been fighting one ever since he said begin."

Ami was not one to question someone, but at the moment she could hardly believe that her teammate was able to discern the difference between their sensei and his bunshin.

"How can you say that as though you know it?"

Naruto didn't feel any harm or hurt from Ami's disbelief, he knew that Ami and many of the genins believed that their knowledge and skill were equal, just for the fact that they didn't wish to appear weak.

"In the battle I kept raising the strength of my hits, it became clear in the initial fight when I hit Tenzo-sensei the surface layer of his arm cracked and crumbled, meaning that the Tenzo we were fighting was a clone, and that so the clone didn't break Tenzo-sensei was holding the jutsu the entire time. When Tenzo disappeared, it was actually a cloud cover to hide the fact that the clone crumbled to the ground. It would be pointless for Tenzo to hold the jutsu during that break in the spar."

Ami would have scoffed at Naruto if she didn't feel that Naruto was being sincere.

"How could you figure that he released the jutsu instead of disappearing?"

Naruto was about to answer until he felt a hand rest on his shoulder and he felt the pressure of someone setting themselves down to sit. Naruto looked at Fuzen, who in fact was looking at him as well and nodded at Naruto, Naruto nodded back.

"Dirt pile… If you look out onto the field you will notice a dirt pile where Tenzo disappeared, however if you look to where Tenzo appeared you can see that the ground around his appearance has sunken, meaning that something that was there, isn't there anymore, meaning you just deduce from there, give it a try."

Ami appreciated that her teammates explain there reason behind what they said, but Ami just couldn't believe that they could deduce that they were fighting a clone since the very beginning. To remedy the possible shame she was going to feel Ami looked out toward the field. Remember where the fight initial started she looked at the spot and began to play the spar in her head while focusing on the ground, when it came to the point where Tenzo disappeared she noticed that the terrain of the field was abnormally flat, no recent signs of disruption or construction, so when she noticed there was a large pile of rock and dirt in a pile she agreed with Naruto that Tenzo had to have used a jutsu, but this brought a question of how Naruto knew this.

Ami continued the spar in her mind and she let her eyes cross to the point where the three of them had grouped in an area. Ami remembered Tenzo-sensei appearing in the middle of them, Ami quickly scanned the area for anything that the two had mentioned and when she noticed a significant divot in the ground in the center of where Ami and the other's were she began to believe that her teammates were correct.

"Ami don't take this as a slight on your abilities, its just shinobi that fight close range, their eyes have to catch even the smallest details, the only reason I was able to pick up on what Naruto meant was because he gave us the initial info, this however begs the question on how you could have known that detail Naruto?"

Ami was glad that Fuzen and her had come to the same conclusion as it came to Naruto knowledge on a jutsu that they haven't really heard of, which was understandable seeing how they were just genin.

Fuzen expected Naruto to shy away from anything that could be uncomfortable to him, and Fuzen expected Naruto's knowledge was connected to that 8 year disappearance from the village.

What Fuzen didn't expect was Naruto smiling fondly.

"I know of that technique because my best friend used to show off with it."

Ami caught Naruto's use of the past tense, and suspected something that happened to this friend of Naruto's. Ami looked over to Fuzen and saw that he too was inflicted with sadness.

"Can we ask what happened to this friend?"

Ami and Fuzen prepared for Naruto to show a flash of anger or sadness and refutably deny their request, but Naruto did the opposite and just took a relaxing breath and nodded.

"Yeah…she died sacrificing her life to protect a man that had taken her in as a child, sadly the man died from the same attack that she did."

Fuzen and Ami expected a lot of things from Naruto but they never expected to see pride come off him.

"She was able to do what I couldn't."

Ami and Fuzen were going to comment on that last blurb but they were cut off by the arrival of their sensei, they noticed that the man was carrying a duffle bag that appeared to be carrying a heavy load.

"Alright students, what is going to be happening now until lunch at noon is physical training, I am going to be having you further your knowledge and skill on what you already have, and tomorrow I will further it even more but until then."

Tenzo dumped out the contents of the bag onto the ground, which was actually quite extensive to be honest, however all three of them caught sight of a green material, a unitard to be exact, but before the three were able to comment on them Tenzo picked the material up and threw it into the air before blasting it with a stream of fire.

"You will forget that you have seen that item and erase it from your mind."

The three heard that the question was intended as a statement and they decided to leave it alone. After…that thing was taken care of all that was left were twelve circular bands of metal, and a round ball with an insert slot on the bottom.

"Now you each take four of those bands and fasten them to your wrist and ankles, Fuzen, also take the round ball and place it on the tip of your bokken."

All three of them did what was asked for them, after they were done the three of them noticed that the bands and ball weighed slightly, but it wasn't enough to hinder their movements.

"What you have on you…"

Tenzo paused in his lecture and moved closer to his students, they watched as a small hue shined off the tip of his finger and he touched each band and the ball. The three students noticed that as he removed his fingers from the metal the weight of the metal increased exponentially from their previous weight.

"…are experimental weights, these weights have been outfitted with a particular seal, a Chakra Weight conversion seal, what this seal does is converts the chakra applied to the metal into mass. Do not ask how this is done, because as I said these weights are experimental, they actually are one of a kind and the seal cannot be duplicated. These weights were created by a freak accident, and seeing how the seal master that created them has kept a tight lip about them, there is no plausible way to mass produce them. We are using them on the permission of our Taijutsu specialist, Maito Gai. Now I do not know how far your knowledge on weight resistance and there effects goes so I will explain it, regardless if you know it already."

Naruto was about to comment on his knowledge of the advantages of using weights but suddenly felt very embarrassed that his sensei called him out on his potential out burst.

"As you move right now you are grounded by the gravity that our world exudes, our world pulls you into itself, and it is that gravitational force that you train against. You can train regularly and find that it will take you much longer to reach the goal that I set for you then with out the weights; the reason being is that the more mass that an object has the greater gravitational force is inflicted upon it. Using this to our advantage, by increasing your mass with the weights, we increase the gravitational force you succumb to and once you are free from the weights the gravitational force you feel will shrink."

The three stared at their teacher with looks of discomfort, what they began to notice is that their teacher seemed to over explain the most simplest information, and it felt very insulting.

Naruto revolting over the oversimplification of information let his mouth open.

"The weights slow your movements and as your body grows stronger to deal with the weight, once you take off the weights you will be able to move faster, strike stronger, react faster because you are not being weighed down."

Naruto felt like a weight was lifted off his chest, but that weight was forced back on by the intent of the imposing figure behind him. Naruto turned slowly to find his sensei looking at him with that creepy look.

'_How the hell does he fucking do that? A genjutsu…? Ahhh stop looking at me like that!_'

Ami and Fuzen had shuffled away from the immediate area as quickly as their legs would take them. Tenzo turned his head to look at the vacating students, which had the affect of stopping them dead in their tracks.

"It seems that my explanation was a little too advanced for a simple explanation, but back to what was going to happen; you three will begin by doing the basic calisthenics, after you are done with those, I will personally handle your training for furthering your skills, now go!"

Naruto and the others felt their enthusiasm drop when they remembered the Academy calisthenics regime. All three of them groaned and began their training; the first thing that they were supposed to do was stretches to loosen the muscles so they did not injure themselves. This proved a challenge seeing how the extra weight actually over extended their stretches; lunges, side bends, all the basic stretches themselves became workouts.

Normally these stretches take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes to complete, however with the weights the trio was not able to complete until 30 minutes later. Ami and Fuzen already could feel the physical exhaustion affect them, but they knew that their bodies could do the last exercise, a 10 lap around a course. However their emotions were not one those normally subjected to exhaustion felt, no… the both of them were glaring daggers at their teammate. Where the both of them were covered with a sheen of sweat and their breathing was labored by the effort they had to push to move a inch, their teammate was moving at a slow pace as them but while they were afflicted by the obvious signs of exhaustion, Naruto was not, Naruto had a slight pattering of sweat on his body, and his breathing, though a slight hitch, was steady, but it was the abundant energy that he had which upset his teammates.

Tenzo watched as an hour went by and his students crawled and dragged themselves back to their starting positions. Tenzo was not a sadistic taskmaster; he wouldn't place a task onto his students if he didn't feel that they were up to the task. Tenzo however knew that the exercises that he was making his students through were not ones meant for green genin, but for entry level ANBU. Tenzo, by no part was trying to make his team into an ANBU team, but there was no denying the results the ANBU training had. If his team was going to succeed against all of their conspirators plans they had to be strong and they had to be smart.

Once all three of his students dropped with exhaustion in front of him, Tenzo moved his hand through six hand seals ending in the snake seal. Tenzo flashed his chakra just to make sure that his students became aware that a jutsu was being activated. Tenzo did this for two reasons, in battle knowing when a jutsu was going to be used would help them prepare for a defense or counter, and finally that knowing what seals do what could help them identify a jutsu before it's used.

Tenzo watched as his students watched in awe as the ground surround two spots beside Tenzo began to warp and sink into the ground like a sinkhole, but from that cave in came a blob of ground and rock that reached the same height as their teacher, and soon after that the blob began to take shape, for a few seconds the blob matched Tenzo in everything except the color of his clothes and the pigment of his body, but that changed to match Tenzo as well.

Tenzo chuckled internally by his student's amazement, Tenzo noticed Naruto facial feature and saw that he was reminiscent.

"Ami and Fuzen, you will receive a clone to work with on your skills, while seeing how what I need train Naruto in needs more of a sturdier sparring partner I personally will help him. If by any means you two are able to destroy my clones I will create another one in its stead."

Both Fuzen and Ami nodded at their teacher and followed the clones to an area of the clone's choosing. Naruto watched as his teammates left and he stood in front of Tenzo ready to learn.

"Naruto seeing how your skills far exceed those of a normal genin, I find no need to train you on any physical training, the weights are just being used to help you hit harder and move quicker."

Naruto nodded at Tenzo but Tenzo noticed that Naruto seemed to have thought of a question due to his face focusing on so much concentration.

"Tenzo-sensei, is it possible to become incredibly fast without the use of chakra or a jutsu?"

Tenzo was not confused of the question that Naruto asked but he was more acquisitive as to the reason why he asked.

"Well Naruto, Gai, the one I received these weights from, has a certain philosophy, the flames of youth. As much as it has become annoying to the point…well you saw my reactions to that green garb. Gai has trained himself to the level of Jounin, all on taijutsu. His strength, his speed, even his intelligence come from his dedication to taijutsu, Gai is the fastest person in the village without the aid of a jutsu or chakra, because of his training. But know this, just because he uses taijutsu to don't discredit or assume the man does not use the other facets of jutsu, there is a reason why Gai is the elite jounin in the village."

Tenzo watched as Naruto seemed to feel relieved by his admittance, something that sparked Tenzo's curiosity.

'_What else are you hiding Naruto?_'

"Alright if the questions are done, seeing how I feel that you are at an appropriate level for physical skill, I am going to help you train with the kage bunshin, you should know that the way you are using them is not the way they were intended to be used."

Naruto suspected what Tenzo had to say about the kage bunshin was true. On the night of his trap Naruto took the offer of the Hokage and learned the jutsu, however once Naruto learned it he went back to see if there was more information on the jutsu, however he wasn't able to investigate further due to the arrival of Mizuki.

"I understand that the jutsu was considered forbidden due to the chakra consumption, and for a shinobi to use it they needed chakra control that exceeds that of a chunin, but I don't understand why it was placed in the scroll in the first place. Many other shinobi have dangerous techniques, like Hatake Kakashi's Raikiri, or the Yondaime's Rasengan, so why is it that, that jutsu was hidden away?"

Tenzo smiled proudly at Naruto as he broke down the facts of his knowledge regarding the jutsu and knew that the boy would eventually discover it, but Tenzo was never a wait-and-see individual.

"Your right to question the caution of the jutsu, and that was a wonderful display of comparison of other jutsu's. In fact the kage bunshin is a B-Rank due to the chakra and chakra control needed to use it, while the Rasengan is A-Rank due to the chakra control and the Raikiri is S-Rank due to the massive chakra consumption and control needed. But no the kage bunshin is in the forbidden scroll because of its intended use. I will clarify, I want you to make one clone, and I want you to send it over to Ami and inform her that I agree that it is unfair about her predicament and that we are going to commence mission after lunch due to her predicament."

Naruto not seeing the point in this crosses his index and middle finger of each hand over each other, and pulls his chakra and forms the jutsu.

"**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu** (2)"

A clone appeared in a puff of smoke and walked over to Ami and her clone. The real Naruto watched as his clone bowed to Ami and the clone and began talking to Ami; it was only a short moment later when Ami pulled the Tenzo clone into a hug and nodded at the clone. Naruto watched as the clone dispersed itself and nothing seemed to happen.

"Alright we did all that but I don't understand the point…"

Naruto was cut off by the rush of memories that just flashed in his mind, Naruto remembered everything that the clone had said to Ami and the words she said to the Tenzo clone and saw the scene he just saw from a different angle. Naruto panted of the rush of images and information that rushed through his head and placed his hand on his head to mitigate the pressure.

"Initially the Kage Bunshin was used as a spying technique, it was an ideal jutsu during the wars, instead of sending in an actual shinobi, the clone could go in its place, infiltrate a heavy compound, learn all the intel it needed, and disperse. It was also ideal seeing how the clone had half of the chakra of its caster, it could defend itself. It is wonderful as a decoy. The jutsu was created during one of the wars, but its use was discontinued due to the mortality rate. The reason why it is forbidden is because of that backlash you felt, what you experienced was a clone's existence, you saw what it saw, smelled what it smelled, thought what it thought, with perfect recall. Every shinobi that used the kage bunshin received short term eidetic memory. During those times of war, advantages like the kage bunshin were used, yet desperate times called desperate measure. For safety reasons one kage bunshin was protocol, but with the increase threats of enemies shinobi's would use too many bunshins, and after they dispersed would die from the information overload… yet I have a theory of why you never noticed this advantage the Kage bunshin has, all the times that you have used the kage bunshin you were in battle, and when fighting, rational thoughts is not accurately present."

Naruto thought over the information that Tenzo provided him, without experience that Tenzo seemed to have with the jutsu Naruto had to believe that Tenzo was correct. Yet as Tenzo spoke Naruto tried to think back of those times that he had used the kage bunshin, however Naruto didn't seem to remember the scenes other then his own, but the one thing Naruto did remember was the sensation of something like receiving chakra from a solider pill.

"Tenzo-sensei, when the kage bunshin disperses, does chakra of the bunshin return to the original?"

Tenzo was happy that Naruto had a least remembered that, because with that question comes the reason of why he wanted Naruto to know this.

"What you are receiving when the information returns is in fact chakra, somehow the memories of your clone are returning to you in the chakra."

Naruto's mind started thinking through this new information that he was given and came to the conclusion that he thought Tenzo wanted.

"So you want me to use the kage bunshin in fighting, to gain intel while fighting and once that I know that intel I can use it while fighting…? Wait am I the only one that is going to receive the memories?"

Tenzo felt proud that Naruto caught on to part of his idea, Tenzo placed himself in a ready stance; he would tell him more about it tomorrow.

"Let's find out."

xxXXxxXXxx

With Ami

xxXXxxXXxx

Ami followed her clone to an area only a couple of meters away from the original Tenzo, Ami was nervous about the training, but was also nervous due to the weights weighing her down; Ami immediately noticed when she put on the weights that her movements were slower and the grace that she prided herself on in having, had disappeared as soon as she moved. Yet she did notice the marginal difference after doing the calisthenics, exercises, and the run that her body moved a fraction better. If what Naruto said was true then, once these weights were off, she would be able to move faster, and be stronger. Yet she was a knowledge seeker and she wanted to know how these things could actually help her.

"Tenzo-sensei, how can these weights actually make me stronger, I understand how they work but what will do?"

Ami waited for the clone to respond to her question, and when the clone didn't Ami guessed that the clone was not capable of conscious thought, but if that was true how was this thing going to train her.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting Ami, I was trying to think of a way to tell you without over simplifying the detail… to answer your question is when you are moving you are moving against the resistance weights are subjecting you to. When you walk you have to put more strength behind the muscles in your legs to walk, you have to put more strength in your balance so the weight doesn't tip you over. As you stand right now your muscle are working harder just to accomplish simple feats then you did before. Now when it comes to training it's a little bit different; when you strike you are applying the strength you desire behind your punch, however with the weights you have to do some much more. The applied strength you would use without the weights will not be the same; in fact it will be more. Because you have to throw a punch with weights on you have to use more strength, but because of the wait and the extra strength, your punches could be three time stronger. So with the weight it will teach the strength you will need for the desired applied strength you want, the strike and the retract. For example I want you to throw a punch."

Ami nodded and placed herself in her stance and threw a punch, however because she didn't account for the added weight at the end of her punch, her punch threw her off balance. Ami fumbled to get back into stance.

"Everything will be that much harder because of the weights, you have to constantly know how much strength a punch has and how the weights will interfere with your movements, knowing how to stop your punch is actually harder then people seemed to realize, I want you to taken the time and move through your fighting style, I will oversee and correct you when…"

Ami noticed that Tenzo-sensei had stopped mid sentence and contribute it to an arrival of another person, Ami turned around and found that Naruto was behind them and he was bowing, but Ami did noticed that another Naruto and the original Tenzo were at their initial spot.

"Sorry to interrupt but Tenzo-sensei told me to tell you that he agrees that it's unfair about your predicament and that we are going to commence mission after lunch due to your predicament."

Ami looked from Naruto and Tenzo and squealed in happiness and hugged Tenzo around his waist, the clone smiled and patted the girls head. Once she was done hugging the man she nodded at the Naruto in front of her which moments later disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Thank you Tenzo sensei."

Tenzo smiled and gestured to Ami to start. Ami nodded and placed herself back into her stance, taking in the fact that a normal punch had caused her to lose her balance Ami decided to do a punch with a shorter reach but same amount of power, she theorized that if she has to weaken her punches she wouldn't learn in time for what she wants. The punch was harder to throw then Ami initially realized, due to the weight on her wrist when she turned her hip to give her punch the power she intended she had to stop short seeing how she neglected to remember that she used her rested fist as a balance and the weight on her rested fist threw her hip turn off. Ami stopped herself and corrected her mistake, instead of deciding to throw a punch she concentrated on her hip turn.

Tenzo watched carefully as Ami went through the motions, Tenzo knew from experience that fighters tend to forget everything that goes into throwing a kick or a punch. Tenzo walked and stopped Ami from further tiring herself out.

"That's good Ami, but lets get into what I have planned; from our spar your permanent battle formation will be long range, this is not to say as time goes my and you learn new things you won't change spots. It is as of this time you excel at long range. With your placement come responsibilities, long range is mostly geared towards support; do not however think that is your main duty. You have showed skilled aforethought in battle and you used that to your advantage, during our tenure together I will be providing you extra abilities to enhance your skills so you are a valued asset to the team. Having said all that, there will come a time in a battle where you will become the object to someone's wrath, and what I will be training you on next will lower the chances of that coming to fruition. What you will be learning is to dodge and evade."

Ami nodded her head in understanding as Tenzo-sensei spoke, Ami knew that dodging and evading was not a real priority in her skill sets, but it wasn't one she neglected.

"Obviously these two things will come more naturally to you due to your stature and body structure, but I will tell you a secret on how to utilize these skills. It all comes down to looking for the tells of an enemies body."

Ami grimaced slightly at the poker reference that her teacher just uttered, how was it watching for a tell could help her dodge and evade.

"I seemed to have caused you some trouble, alright listen up. When an enemy attacks they have to go through the same steps as you, if you can recognize these movements, you will discover that everyone that fights projects their moves, by the roll of their shoulders, and the shifts of their feet, you can learn to dodge and evade more effectively, what I am going to teach you is how to recognize these projections and be fast enough to evade them. Now get ready and focus."

Ami shifted into her stance and watched carefully, a moment later Tenzo moved, yet what Ami could see is that he took into account her limited speed a movement and moved slower then when they initially sparred. However even though she could see this it didn't help her when she could move fast enough to put up a guard. Tenzo's punch slammed into Ami's face and lifted her off the ground and made her fly a couple of distances away. Ami landed on the ground, and once she did she let her body naturally move to slide into a roll, once her body did her feet continued to slide against the ground. Ami stood back up and returned to her stance; instead of foolishly thinking that she would be able to shift a guard in place Ami kept her arms in a permanent guard.

"Learn by your mistakes, Ami, good, now this time watch me and my movement."

Ami nodded and lowered her stance so her guard was strong at her legs; Ami watched carefully to catch as much as she could, Tenzo kicked off the ground with his left foot, and closed the gap between them in matter of moments. Ami prepared herself for a punch, but remembered that guessing could hurt her so she continued to watch; Ami kept watching for any clues, until once Tenzo was in place and Ami caught the slightest shift of Tenzo's left foot. From what Ami could remember of those taijutsu texts, Tenzo was getting ready to swing his left leg in a kick, not knowing his intended target area Ami waited.

She knew that she would not be able to dodge but maybe she could put her guard up in time. Tenzo's kick aimed low this time, towards the area of her right thigh, remembering that her balance was affected Ami knew she would not be able to bring her leg into guard, so instead of that, Ami shifted her left stance into a right stance. Luckily her timing was correct and Tenzo's attack missed, Ami was congratulating herself, until she caught sights of Tenzo's right shoulder muscle begin to move and shift. Ami using the idea of the shift of stance as a catalyst, she waited until the fist past the point before Ami couldn't safely move and moved her upper body diagonally right from the path. However the weight of the weights on her wrists were more then those on her ankles and Tenzo's strike still made contact on her left shoulder, the strike did more then Ami accounted for and it destroyed her balance and she fell over.

Tenzo moved to stand over Ami and placed his hand out to help her up.

"That was a good initial start, but you have to remember the limitations of your body, and celebration should come after were done."

Ami giggled sheepishly and rubbed her bicep, she let Tenzo-sensei help her back up and they return to the training.

xxXXxxXXxx

With Fuzen

xxXXxxXXxx

Fuzen seemed to be the only one other teammate that knew the full extent of the range of motion their body could withstand and use. Fuzen sailed through the strikes and movements and his balance became adjusted to the new weight. Fuzen currently was in a mock sword battle with Tenzo, Tenzo identified the trouble areas that Fuzen had, to which Fuzen surprised Tenzo by confirming his limitations. Fuzen told Tenzo that he needed a kenjutsu spar partner, but he was never able to find one in the Academy, and his sister was a medical nin, and she rejected her families fighting style. Tenzo noticed how Fuzen acclimated quickly to the training and found himself not surprised if Fuzen was a kenjutsu prodigy.

Currently the two were in a deadlock, Tenzo pushed his strength behind his kunai onto Fuzen, whose body responded and his knees buckled slightly. Tenzo took that moment of weakness and shifted Fuzen's sword in an arc and parried the boy, making him lose his balance and Tenzo using the opening to kick the boy in his side, making him fall on the ground.

"Remember that kenjutsu is not like taijutsu, the sword receives its power and control from your stance, a parry is intended to move your balance out of your power stance and use your strength against you. If I start parrying your sword out of your balance stance you need to counter by moving it back into a power stance that throws my balance off."

Fuzen growled in frustration and struck the ground.

"It's easier said then done!"

Fuzen moved back into his stance and glared at Tenzo, when Fuzen was ready he moved. While moving Fuzen placed his sword in a downward angle to his right and when he got close enough he swept his sword at an angle, knocking into Fuzen's guard and wavering his balance, when Fuzen saw this he quickly changed the direction of his strike to cut across Tenzo chest from shoulder to waist. Predictably Tenzo guarded against the strike and the both of them were in a deadlock again, Fuzen knew it was just a matter of time before Tenzo parried him again, so wanting to end that humiliation he looked down at Tenzo's stance. Fuzen saw that Tenzo's left leg was extended slightly while his right was in rest behind, this told Fuzen that Tenzo was in a left stance and that told him that the balance was placed on Tenzo's left leg. Frustratingly, Fuzen was in a right stance, and if he wanted to throw Tenzo off balance he had to invade on his own balance.

It was moments after those thoughts that Tenzo started shifting Fuzen's balance to the left; Fuzen knowing what was going to happen knew he had to do something. Tenzo's kunai was in the dominate position, his kunai was on top of Fuzen's sword, and Tenzo was pushing against Fuzen's strength. For Fuzen to parry he had to shift his sword from the submissive to dominate. This was the part that Fuzen failed at, and he didn't know how to do that and he knew it was a matter of time before it happened again.

It must have been a struck of luck that Fuzen looked off at Naruto and his training and found that Naruto was in a similar position as him, but the boy did something he didn't think was possible. Instead of struggling against the force of Tenzo's strength he guided the strength to a spot where Naruto could retaliate. Taking that as an idea Fuzen looked at his own battle and found that he indeed was fighting against Tenzo's strength. Using Naruto's battle as a guide Fuzen let the strength behind his sword fall, with the lack of struggle behind the opposition the kunai guided Fuzen's sword further into Fuzen's strike path, like last time causing an imbalance in his stance, but instead of fighting the flow Fuzen used it. Once it became apparent that his balance was going to be lost Fuzen took one step with his opposite leg gained his balance and pushed against Tenzo's kunai causing Tenzo to lose balance and then Fuzen applied force to his push and Tenzo lost his footing, that Fuzen capitalized and kicked him in his side.

Tenzo hobbled to regain his balance and smiled slightly at the boy's accomplishment, Tenzo returned into his stance.

"A little unorthodox, but it did its job. Again."

The training went on until the alarm clock Tenzo set up somewhere went off a couple hours later.

"Alright its lunch, you get one hour and then I want you to meet me at the Administration building."

Tenzo disappeared in a puff of smoke and let his team on their way.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

JUTSU:

(1) Iwa Bunshin : English Translation (Rock Clone)

It is a clone that is created of rock, after it has been expelled from the user's mouth. Unlike other clones, ones generated by this method do not disappear when struck with sufficient force, but rather break apart.

(2)Kage Bunshin no Jutsu : English Translation ( Shadow Clone Technique)

Similar to the Clone Technique, this technique creates clones of the user. However, these clones are actual copies, not illusions. The user's chakra is evenly distributed among every clone, giving each clone an equal fraction of the user's overall power. The clones are capable of performing techniques on their own and can even bleed, but will usually disperse after one or two solid blows. They can also disperse on their own. The clones will be created in roughly the same condition as the original. Shadow clones can't be distinguished from the actual person even by the Byakugan because the clones have the exact same amount of chakra and aren't made from any other substance.

A characteristic that is unique to the Shadow Clone Technique is that any experience the clones gain during their existence is transferred to the user once they are dispersed. This makes the technique ideal for spying, since the user can simply send a clone to spy on a target, then have the clone disperse itself without returning to pass the information back to the user


End file.
